TREATISE 


HAND    BOOK 


IX 


FLORIDA, 


T.    W.  MOORE, 


FRUIT    COVE,    FLORIDA 


.    v 


JACK  si  IN  vi  i.  !.!•;:•  KI.A.  : 

-IN      AM)      PilKSS     .Mil!     KtinMS. 


TREATISE 


X 

AND 


HAND    BOOK 


ON 


ORANGE  CULTURE 


IN 


FLORIDA 


BY 


T.    W.    MOORE, 


^FRUIT   COVE,    FLA. 


JACKSONVILLE,   FLA. 

.PRINTED  AT  THE  SUN  AND  PRESS  JOB  ROOMS. 

•1877. 


1-  ' — 

Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1877,  by 

T.  W.  MOORE, 
in  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


PREFACE. 

CHAPTER  I.— PROFIT  OF  ORANGE  GROWING. 

CHAPTER  II.— THE  SEVERAL  METHODS  OF  PLANTING  ORANGE  GROVES. 

CHAPTER  III.— WILD  ORANGE  GROVES  BUDDED. 

CHAPTER  IV.— GROVES  FROM  TRANSPLANTED  SOUR  STUMPS. 

CHAPTER  V.— PLANTING  THE  ORANGE  SEED. 

CHAPTER  VI.- BUDDING. 

CHAPTER  VII.— SELECTING  A  LOCATION  FOR  AN  ORANGE  GROVE. 

CHAPTER  VIII.— THE  ADVANTAGE  OF  PARTIAL  FOREST  PROTECTION. 

CHAPTER  IX.— TRANSPLANTING. 

CHAPTER  X.- DISTANCE  APART  OF  TREES  IN  GROVE. 

CHAPTER  XL- CULTIVATION. 

CHAPTER  XII.— PRUNING. 

CHAPTER  XIII.—  FERTILIZING. 

CHAPTER  XIV.— SPECIES  AND  VARIETIES. 

CHAPTER  XV.— THE  INSECTS  DAMAGING  THE  ORANGE  TREE;  THEIR 
ENEMIES  AND  THE  REMEDIES. 

CHAPTER  XVI.— DISEASES  TO  WHICH  THE  ORANGE  TREE  AND  FRUIT 
ARE  LIABLE,  AND  THE  REMEDIES. 

CHAPTER  XVII.— GATHERING,  PACKING  AND  SHIPPING  THE  ORANGE. 

CHAPTER  XVIII.- CROPS  THAT  MAY  BE  GROWN  AMONG  THE  ORANGE 
TREES. 

CHAPTER  XIX.— OILS,  PERFUMES,  EXTRACTS  &c.  FROM  THE  CITRUS. 

• 
CHAPTER  XX.—  CONCLUSION. 


379987 


PEEFACE. 

The  writer  for  several  years  suffered  greatly  for  want  of  some 
reliable  advice  on  Orange  Culture.  Could  he  have  had  such  instruc- 
tions as  the  following  pages  contain  he  might  have  hastened  forward  to 
profitable  bearing  by  several  years  an  orange  grove  now  crowning  his 
labors  with  success.  He  could  have  done  this  with  half  the  amount  of 
money  expended  by  him  in  experimenting,  in  following  unreliable 
advice,  and  in  doing,  what  at  the  time,  seemed  wisest.  It  is  to  save  oth- 
ers such  useless  expenditures  and  to  help  forward  the  best  material 
interest  of  Florida  that  he  has  undertaken  to  give  to  the  public  the 
result  of  his  experience  and  observation  on  ORANGE  CULTURE  IN 
FLORIDA. 

Nor  has  he  undertaken  this  without  the  earnest  solicitation  of 
many  who  are  engaged  in  orange  growing  and  have  witnessed  his 
success  and  discussed  with  him  his  plans. 

The  writer  has  not  only  had  ten  years  of  actual  experience  in 
'jrange  growing,  but  he  has  had  before  him  a  wide  field  for  observing 
the  efforts  of  others  engaged  in  this  business.  He  has  had  throughout 
his  life  a  passion  for  horticulture ;  in  early  life  considerable  experience 
as  an  amateur  cultivator  of  fruits.  For  twenty -five  years  he  has  been 
accustomed  to  eat  fresh  from  the  trees  the  orange  grown  in  Cuba,  in 
Central  America,  in  California,  in  Louisiana  and  in  Florida.  His 
admiration  of  this  "  queen  of  fruits  "  has  led  him  to  observe  and  inquire 
after  the  methods  of  culture  in  each  of  these  several  countries.  During 
the  ten  years  of  his  experience  he  has  frequently  traveled  over  the  State 
of  Florida,  visiting,  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  the  various  sections  en- 
gaged in  growing  oranges,  discussing  with  growers  their  theories  and 
noting  the  results  of  their  efforts. 

This  little  work,  therefore,  is  not  the  result  of  the  experience  of  a 
single  individual  confined  to  a  single  location,  but  the  result  of  experi- 
ments, successes  and  failures  of  the  many,  extended  over  the  State  of 
Florida. 


The  Press  of  Florida  has  done  much  to  help  forward  to  a  knowl- 
edge necessary  to  sqccess  in  orange  growing  in  this  State.  Its  appre- 
ciation of  this  great  interest,  and  the  readiness  with  which  it  has 
devoted  its  columns  to  growers  for  the  interchange  of  thought  arid  the 
discussion  of  theories,  both  false  and  true,  have  given  to  persons  widely 
separated  the  benefit  of  each  others'  experience.  For  this  work,  the 
Press  of  Florida,  and  especially  the  Agriculturist  and  the  Semi-  Tropical, 
as  more  especially  devoted  to  this  interest,  is  deserving  all  praise,  and 
whosoever  would  keep  up  with  the  rapidly  growing  knowledge  of 
orange  culture  in  our  peculiar  climate  and  soil  must  continue  to  read, 
as  the  Press  will  continue  to  publish,  every  new  light  on  this  subject. 
The  Author  here  makes  acknowledgments  to  the  Press  of  Florida  as 
well  as  to  the  thousands  whom  he  has  visited,  and  with  whom  he  has 
discussed  the  contents  of  these  pages. 

All  technical  terms,  as  far  as  possible,  have  been  avoided  in  these 
pages.  Where  such  terms  have  been  employed  it  has  been  solely  to 
make  the  meaning  less  questionable.  This  book  is  intended  as  a 
Manual  for  all  who  wish  to  best  succeed  with  the  least  expense  in 
growing  the  orange.  Such  terms  as  can  be  understood  by  the  un- 
learned can  be  also  comprehended  by  those  who  can  command  ency- 
clopedias and  the  elaborate  work  of  Gallesio. 

With  earnest  desire  foy  the  success  of  the  orange  grower  in  Florida 
and  with  hearty  good  will  to  them  and  to  others  who  may  engage  in 
this  honorable  and  profitable  business,  this  humble  and  little  book  is 

submitted  by  the 

AUTHOR. 


ORANGE    CULTURE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  PROFIT  OF  ORANGE  GROWING, 

When  compared  to  the  profit  arising  from  other  kinds  of  business,  is  so 
large  that  a  statement  of  facts  is  often  withheld  because  the  truth 
seems  fabulous  to  those  who  have  only  had  experience  in  the  cultiva- 
tion of  other  kinds  of  fruits.  Those  engaged  in  the  business  consider 
each  tree,  so  soon  as  it  is  in  healthy  and  vigorous  bearing,  worth  one 
hundred  dollars.  Indeed  the  annual  yield  of  such  a  tree  will  pay  a 
large  interest  on  the  one  hundred  dollars — from  ten  to  an  hundred  and 
in  some  instances  one  hundred  and  fifty  per  cent,  per  annum.  Now  if 
we  take  into  consideration  that  from  forty  to  one  hundred  trees  are 
grown  on  an  acre,  the  yield  is  immense.  In  the  quiet  country,  breath- 
ing its  pure  atmosphere,  with  fresh  fruits  and  vegetables  from  January 
to  January,  with  milk,  butter,  honey  and  poultry,  the  product  of  his 
farm,  and  accessories  to  his  grove,  the  man  who  has  once  brought  his 
trees  into  successful  bearing,  can  enjoy  all  these  and  much  more 
besides,  having  at  his  command  an  income  quite  equal  to  that  com- 
manded by  owners  of  blocks  of  well  improved  real  estate  in  our  towns 
and  cities,  with  not  one-tenth  part  of  the  original  cost  of  city  invest- 
ments. Or,  if  the  owner  chooses,  he  is  at  liberty  to  go  abroad  without 
fear  of  the  incendiaries' .  torch,  or  the  failure  of  commercial  firms. 
And  even  if  a  frost  should  come  severe  enough  to  cut  down  full  grown 
trees — and  but  one  such  frost  has  come  in  the  history  of  Florida — the 
owner  of  such  a  grove  has  but  to  wait  quietly  for  three  years,  and  out 
of  the  ruin  will  come  a  second  fortune  as  large  as  the  first,  and  without 
the  cost  of  brick,  mortar  and  workmen. 

The  age  to  which  the  orange  tree  lives,  from  three  hundred  to  four 


hundred  years,  is  so  great  that  Americans  do  not  know  how  to  consider 
it  in  the  light  of  a  permanent  investment.  The  fear  has  sometimes 
been  expressed  that  the  business  will  be  overdone,  that  the  supply  will 
after  a  while  exceed  the  demand  and  the  price  of  the  fruit  so  decline 
that  the  orange  will  be  unprofitable  to  the  grower.  But  those  who 
entertain  this  fear  have  certainly  not  considered  the  facts.  That 
portion  of  the  States,  with  climate  suitable  for  growing  the  orange,  is 
comparatively  small.  The  southern  portion  of  California,  a  very 
small  part  of  Louisiana  and  the  whole  of  Florida  if  devoted  to  orange 
culture  is  but  a  trifle  compared  to  the  vast  sections  of  the  United 
States  which  will  be  well  filled  with  inhabitants  long  before  the  orange 
growing  sections  can  be  brought  into  bearing.  The  present  yield  of  «~ 
fruit  grown  in  the  United  States  furnishes  hardly  one  orange  a  year  to 
each  inhabitant.  Our  population  will  likely  double,  judging  the 
future  by  the  past,  in  the  next  thirty  or  forty  years.  To  furnish  such 
a  population  with  one  orange  or  lemon  a  day  will  require  no  less  than 
thirty  thousand  millions  of  oranges  or  lemons  per  annum.  The  skill 
in  gathering,  curing  and  packing  the  late  and  early  varieties  now  — 
appearing  will  enable  the  grower  to  furnish  for  the  market  at  all 
seasons  of  the  year  either  oranges  or  lemons.  The  wholesomeness  of 
the  fruit,  together  with  its  medicinal  qualities,  will  increase  its  popu- 
larity as  an  article  of  food,  until  it  will  be  universally  used.  At  pres-  — 
ent  the  production  of  Florida  oranges  is  so  small  that  it  is  not  known 
in  the  markets  of  many  of  our  largest  cities.  The  foreign  varieties 
offered  in  those  markets,  even  when  fully  ripe  and  eaten  fresh  in  their 
own  countries,  will  not  compare  with  the'  Florida  orange.  But  in 
order  to  reach  this  country  in  sound  condition  they  have  to  be  gathered 
when  green  and  hence  are  not  only  unpalatable  but  unwholesome. 
When  the  Florida  orange  becomes  generally  known,  and  the  supply  is  — - 
adequate,  it  will  exclude  these  foreign  varieties  and,  because  of  its 
excellence,  become  uuiverally  used.  Such  will  be  the  demand. 

Now  note  the  possibility  of  supply.  Only  a  small  proportion  of 
those  sections  with  climate  sufficiently  mild  to  grow  the  orange  can 
ever  be  made  available.  The  long,  dry  seasons  of  California  prevent 
the  possibility  of  growing  this  fruit  in  that  State  except  by  irrigation, 
while  the  estimated  yield  per  tree  is  only  six  hundred  oranges.  In 


9 

Louisiana  the  possible  area  is  but  small.  In  Florida  the  climatic  con- 
ditions are  more  favorable,  but  the  laud  and  location  suitable  are  not 
one  hundredth  part  of  the  State.  Another  fact  lessens  the  possibility 
of  yield.  Orange  culture  belongs  to  the  class  of  skilled  labor.  Hun- 
dreds engaged  in  the  business  will  fail,  because  success  requires  intelli- 
gence, application,  patience  and  skill.  Hundreds  have  already  failed 
from  one  or  all  of  these  causes,  and  have  left  the  State,  never  dream- 
ing that  they  alone  are  to  be  blamed  for  their  failure.  Men  in  the 
very  communities  thus  abandoned  have  succeeded  because  they  were 
more  prudent  in  the  selection  of  soil  and  location,  and  used  their 
intelligence  and  the  intelligence  of  others  and  persevered  in  the  face 
of  partial  failure  brought  about  by  ignorance.  But  those  men  who 
failed  took  no  advice  except  that  of  the  land  owner  who  offered  to  sell 
land  cheaper  than  any  one  else.  They  read  nothing  that  had  been 
written  by  men  who  had  succeeded.  They  took  no  warning  of  those 
who  had  failed.  Stilted  on  their  castle  of  self  conceit  they  stood,  nor 
deigned  to  look  down  to  the  humble  but  prudent  laborer  for  advice, 
till  their  castle  fell  and  they  left  the  State  imagining  that  the  "Sand  of 
Florida"  had  proven  an  unstable  foundation  and  overthrown  them 
and  their  castle.  Such  instances  will  repeat  themselves.  Whoever 
may  succeed,  such  men  will  fail.  Whatever  may  be  written  and 
wisely  written  on  the  subject,  and  however  published,  whether  in  book 
or  journal,  will  not  be  read  by  them.  But  while  the  above  facts  will 
lessen  the  general  yield  of  oranges,  it  will  make  the  business  vastly 
more  profitable  to  the  men  who  possess  the  virtues  necessary  to  success. 
The  orange  will  pay  beyond  any  other  fruit  at  half  a  cent  an  orange 
on  the  tree.  In  Europe,  where  lands  are  exceedingly  high,  a  grove  is 
considered  a  most  profitable  investment  even  when  the  fruit  sells  from 
two  dollars  to  four  dollars  per  thousand.  Ten  years  ago  the  Florida 
orange  was  considered  well  sold  when  the  grower  could  get  one  cent  on 
the  tree.  Few  now  sell  for  less  than.,  one  and  a  half  cent,  and  some 
average  at  their  groves  as  high  as  four  cents  per  orange,  and  the  price 
*till  advances. 

In  no  business  can  a  young  man  with  pluck,  intelligence  and 
application,  so  certainly  lay  the  foundation  for  a  competency  and 
fortune  as  in  orange  growing  in  Florida.  With  the  exercise  of  these 
he  may  in  ten  years  be  what  the  country  could  call  a  rich  man. 


10 

A  young  man  from  Middle  Florida  borrowed  money  enough  from 
his  father  to  buy  a  piece  of  laud.  After  paying  for  his  land,  located  a 
few  miles  above  Palatka,  he  landed  in  Palatka  with  three  dollars  m 
his  pocket.  These  he  paid  for  provisions  and  went  to  work  growing 
vegetables  on  about  an  acre  and  a  half  of  cleared  land.  Six  years 
afterward  he  sold  his  place  for  twelve  thousand  dollars  cash,  without 
owing  a  cent  for  anything.  Many  instances  could  be  given  of  young- 
men,  as  well  as  old  men,  who  have  done  as  well,  and  of  some  who 
have  done  still  better.  Young  men  have  frequently  written  to  the 
author  to  aid  in  securing  for  them  a  clerkship.  His  advice  has  been 
invariably  given  "Go  to  work  raising  fruit  in  Florida  and  be  indepen- 
dent and  have  a  home." 


11 

CHAPTER  II. 

OF  THE  SEVERAL  METHODS  OF  PLANTING  ORANGE  GROVES 

The  question  is  frequently  asked,  "  Which  is  the  best?"  The  several 
methods  are,  1st,  the  budding  of  the  wild  sour  trees  without  moving 
them ;  2d,  .budding  them  first  and  planting  afterwards  in  some  suitable 
location;  3d,  planting  the  sour  stumps  and  budding  afterwards ;  4th, 
growing  the  trees  from  sweet  seed  without  budding;  5th,  planting  the 
sweet  seedling  and  budding  either  before  or  after  removal  from  nurs- 
ery ;  6th,  budding  on  sour  seedlings  either  before  or  after  removal  from 
nursery,  and  7th,  a  grove  of  sweet  seedlings. 

Each  of  these  plans  has  some  advantage  over  the  others.  They 
all  have  advocates;  but  which  of  all  has  the  greatest  number  of 
advantages,  is  questionable.  I  have  tried  them  all,  but,  after  stating 
the  advantages  of  each,  must  leave  to  the  grower  to  select  for  himself 
as  circumstances  and  inclination  may  control. 

If  one  is  impatient  for  return,  let  him  choose  the  sour  grove,  if  he 
can  find  it,  and  bud  the  trees  where  they  stand.  With  proper  man- 
agement he  may  begin  to  gather  in  two  years.  If  he  is  still  impatient 
but  cannot  find  a  sour  grove,  let  him  buy  the  sour  stumps,  plant  them 
in  some  suitable  location,  and  he  may  begin  to  gather  fruit  in  three 
years  from  planting.  But  if  he  can  wait  awhile  longer  for  fruit  with 
the  hope  of  getting  a  longer  lived  tree  and  more  abundant  yield,  let 
him  plant  younger  trees,  either  seedlings  or  budded  stock.  If  he 
wishes  an  early  bearer  and  comparatively  smaller  tree,  he  can  select 
the  sour  seedling  budded.  If  a  larger  but  later  bearer,  he  can  select 
the  sweet  seedling  budded.  If  he  wishes  an  abundant  yield  and  the 
largest  trees,  and  can  wait  a  longer  time,  the  sweet  seedling,  uiibuddedr 
will  suit.  With  good  treatment  such  trees  will  begin  to  yield  in  eight 
years,  and,  after  a  longer  time,  in  ninety-nine  cases  out  of  a  hundred, 
give  him  a  fair  quality  of  fruit;  but  perhaps  he  will  have  as  many 
varieties  or  sub-varieties  as  trees  in  his  grove.  The  sour  stock  for  a 
few  years  grows  more  rapidly,  but  will  finally  make  a  smaller  tree 
than  the  sweet.  The  best  quality  of  fruit  can  be  insured  only  by  bud-J 
ding  from  the  best  varieties. 


12 
CHAPTER  III. 

THE  WILD  ORANGE  GROVE  BUDDED 

Yields  so  readily  under  so  simple  treatment  that  we  shall  consider  it  at 
once.  Of  course  nature  has  already  determined  the  location,  and  in 
many  instances  the  location  has  been  wisely  chosen,  not  only  with 
reference  to  best  protection  from  frost,  but  also  in  many  instances  with 
reference  to  cheap  and  easy  transportation,  on  the  banks  of  navigable 
rivers  and  creeks.  Wherever  a  wild  grove  can  be  found  so  located  the 
purchaser  can  afford  to  pay  a  liberal  price  if  he  has  to  buy,  or  the 
owner  can  afford  to  improve  by  the  most  approved  methods. 

Many,  however,  have  been  the  blunders  made  in  attempts  to 
improve  such  valuable  property.  I  know  of  many  groves  greatly 
damaged,  and  some  completely  sacrificed  by  bad  management.  The 
two  mistakes  most  frequently  made,  in  the  treatment  of  such  groves, 
are,  first,  the  reckless  destruction  of  the  forest  trees  furnished  by 
nature  for  the  protection  of  the  orange,  and  second,  the  continued 
pulling  off  the  young  shoots  from  the  stumps  cut  off  for  the  purpose 
of  budding.  The  first  and  second  buds  having  failed,  the  cultivator 
continues  to  reduce  the  vitality  of  the  tree  by  pulling  off  the  young 
shoots,  until  at  last  the  sap,  for  want  of  elaboration  through  the  leaf, 
becomes  diseased,  and  the  tree,  tenacious  of  life  as  it  is,  dies  of  the 
double  cause  of  exhaustion  and  disease.  It  may  be  well  to  caution  the 
orange  grower  at  once  against  the  commission  or  repetition  of  thi& 
frequent  blunder.  Few  of  our  forest  trees  will  survive  being  cut 
down  to  a  stump,  still  fewer  will  survive  if  the  young  shoots  are  kept 
down  for  a  few  months.  Every  time  the  young  shoots  are  pulled  oft; 
the  young  rootlets,  corresponding  to  and  starting  at  the  same  instant 
with  the  shoots,  die,  and  the  effort  of  nature  to  restore  vitality  is 
checked  and  weakened  until  the  hardiest  tree  is  soon  killed.  In  bud- 
ding old  stumps  I  have  found  it  of  great  advantage  to  allow  a  few 
shoots  to  grow  along  the  trunk,  below  the  bud,  pinching  back  these 
shoots,  allowing  a  few  leaves  on  each  shoot  to  grow  to  full  size  and  so 
furnishing  the  tree  with  healthy  sap,  encourage  the  development  and 
maturity  of  new  wood  and  new  roots  and  keep  up  an  active  circulation. 


.    13 

Continue  this  until  the  sweet  bud  has  so  far  advanced  as  to  be  able  to 
furnish  the  tree  with  sufficient  leaf  to  enable  it  to  collect  sufficient 
carbon  from  the  atmosphere  to  insure  the  health  of  the  tree.  After  this 
point  has  been  reached  you  may  then  pluck  off  all  the  sour  shoots  and 
keep  them  off.  In  some  instances  where  a  sweet  bud  has  made  an 
early  start,  a  more  vigorous  growth  of  the  sweet  bud  may  be  obtained 
by  plucking  off  all  the  sour  shoots  from  the  first,  but  this  is  at  the  risk 
of  the  health  of  both  the  stock  and  the  bud.  I  will  mention  one 
other  thing  in  this  connection :  do  not  allow  the  sweet  bud  to  grow  too 
long  before  pinching  it  back.  If  allowed  to  grow  two  or  three  feet,  as 
it  will  from  a  very  vigorous  stump,  it  is  liable  to  be  broken  off  by  the 
wind.  But  even  if  it  should  be  securely  tied  so  as  to  prevent  such  an 
accident  it  should,  nevertheless,  be  pinched  back  in  order  to  hasten  the 
maturity  of  its  own  wood  and  leaves.  The  mature  leaves  are  neces- 
sary to  the  health  of  both  stock  and  bud,  and  necessary  to  gain  a 
controlling  influence  over  the  circulation,  and  to  draw  it  as  early  as 
possible  to  the  sweet  bud.  By  this  means  also  the  mature  wood  of  the 
sweet  bud  is  better  enabled  to  resist  the  blighting  influence  of  both  sun 
and  frost.  Still  another  advantage  is  gained.  By  pinching  back  the 
bud  it  is  induced  to  branch  near  its  junction  with  the  stock  and  so 
enlarge  and  strengthen  its  connection  with  the  stock. 

I  again  call  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  the  other  mistake  men- 
tioned in  the  beginnig  of  this  chapter  and  so  frequently  made  by  those 
who  have  undertaken  to  improve  wild  groves.  Nature  has  not  only 
planted  these  groves,  found  above  the  frost  line,  on  the  south  side  of 
bodies  of  water,  but  has  also  taken  the  additional  precaution  to  plant 
them  under  the  protection  of  forest  trees.  Thus,  doubly  guarded, 
these  orange  trees  have  grown,  some  of  them  probably  for  a  century 
As  the  cold  winds  from  the  north-west  have  swept  down  upon  them, 
the  frost  has  been  tempered  by  passing  over  a  body  of  water  of  higher 
temperature  than  the  winds.  The  spreading  branches  of  forest  trees, 
hanging  like  canopies,  have  checked  the  radiation  of  heat  passing  from 
the  surface  of  the  earth,  and  enclosed  the  orange  grove  in  a  vapor 
bath.  And  even  if  the  tempest  has  been  too  strong  and  cold,  and 
swept  away  the  warm  air  blanket  thrown  by  nature  over  the  tender 
orange  shoot,  and  the  cold  has  frozen  the  sap  until  the  tender  woody 


14 

tissues  have  been  ruptured,  still  the  forest  trees  have  stood  like  foster 
mothers  to  keep  off  the  rays  of  the  morning  sun  till  these  ruptured 
tissue  and  sap  vessels  could  be  healed  by  the  efforts  of  nature.  The 
mother,  who  has  suddenly  plunged  the  body  of  her  scalded  child  into  a 
bath  of  flour  or  oil  to  save  the  child  from  suffering  and  death,  has 
not  shown  a  tenderer  care  than  have  the  forest  trees  extended  for 
scores  of  years  over  their  charges.  And  yet  the  first  thing  done  by 
many  of  us  who  wished  to  improve  our  wild  groves  was  to  cut  down 
these  natural  protectors  to  a  tree.  The  wonder  is,  not  that  so  many  of 
these  wild  groves  have  been  destroyed,  but  that  any  have  been  saved 
with  such  abuse. 

But  we  will  not  now  discuss  the  advantages  of  partial  forest  pro- 
tection. The  subject  is  of  too  much  importance  to  be  dismissed  by  a 
single  paragraph.  We  will  consider  this  subject  in  a  separate  chapter 
further  along.  I  have  thus  early  noticed  this  subject  lest  the  reader 
may  do  what  I  and  hundreds  of  others  have  done,  dextroy  these  mag- 
nificent wild  groves  when  attempting  to  improve  them. 

Before  beginning  to  bud  a  wild  orange  grove  first  cut  down  all 
the  under  brush,  and  then  the  smaller  forest  trees.  This  rubbish  can 
be  removed  or  burned  and  the  ashes  used  as  fertilizer  of  the  orange 
trees,  spreading  a  liberal  quantity  around  the  trunks  to  keep  off  the 
"wood  lice" — white  ant — which  frequently  attack  trees  where  there  is 
much  rubbish  left  on  the  ground.  Or  if  lime  can  be  had,  sprinkle  this 
around  the  trunks  and  let  the  rubbish  rot  on  the  ground.  The 
decayed  brush  will  add  greatly  to  the  fertility  of  the  soil  and  will  soon 
be  out  of  the  way.  It  would  add,  however,  greatly  to  the  ease  with 
which  you  accomplish  your  work  to  come  after  to  take  all  this  rubbish 
out  of  the  way. 

The  ground  cleared  of  under  brush  and  small  trees,  pass  through 
and  select  at  suitable  intervals  the  forest  trees  you  wish  to  remain. 
Select  a  plenty  of  these  trees  and  mark  them  so  that  they  will  not  be 
cut  down.  If  afterward  they  are  found  standing  too  thickly  on  the 
ground  some  of  them  can  be  felled.  If  felled  too  hastily  fifty  years 
cannot  restore  them.  The  number  of  these  trees  which  are  to  remain 
is  to  be  determined  by  circumstances.  If  the  place  is  well  protected 
by  water,  fewer  trees  will  answer.  But  be  certain  to  leave  enough 


15 

trees  to  break  off  the  morning  sun  after  a  frost,  as  it  is  the  sudden 
thawing  more  than  the  freeze  which  kills  the  trees.  Trees  intended  for 
shelter  should  be  of  habits  the  opposite  of  those  of  the  orange.  You 
wish  the  orange  to  have  low  spreading  branches.  Select  as  their  pro- 
tectors trees  so  tall  that  their  lower  branches  will  not  interfere  with  the 
foliage  of  the  orange.  The  orange  tree  sends  most  of  its  roots  near  the 
surface  of  the  ground.  Select  as  their  protectors  trees  that  send  their 
roots  deep.  I  have  noticed  several  varieties  of  live  oak  in  the  State. 
Only  one  of  these  is  in  the  habit  of  sending  its  roots  deep  into  the  soil. 
Whenever  I  have  found  this  variety  growing  I  could  plant  the  orange 
close  to  its  trunk  without  damage  to  the  orange.  The  persimon  has 
this  habit  of  deep  feeding,  but  unfortunately  it  drops  its  foliage  in  the 
Winter.  The  pine  has  this  habit  only  when  grown  in  a  well  drained 
soil.  There  are  some  individual  trees  whose  habits  are  an  exception  to 
the  general  habits  of  the  variety.  These  can  soon  be  discovered  by 
the  use  of  the  spade  or  hoe.  But  if  trees  without  surface  feeders 
cannot  be  found,  then  select  trees  with  other  desirable  qualities  and  cut 
the  surface  roots  by  a  trench  ten  or  twelve  inches  deep  a  few  feet  from 
and  around  the  base.  After  those  trees  have  been  selected  and 
marked  which  you  wish  to  remain,  you  can  now  cut  next  such  trees  as 
can  be  felled  without  damage  to  the  standing  orang'e  trees.  The  work 
thns  far  should  be  done  during  the  Fa11  or  Winter,  so  as  to  be  ready 
for  the  Spring  and  Summer  work  which  is  to  follow. 

In  early  Spring,  before  the  new  growth  of  the  orange  has  started, 
begin  to  saw  off  the  limbs,  if  they  branch  near  the  ground,  of  the 
orange  trees,  taking  off  all  the  top.  If  the  trunks  are  long,  cut  off  the 
tree,  leaving  about  two  and  a  half  feet  of  stump.  Immediately  ^follow- 
ing, fell  the  balance  of  the  forest  trees  that  are  to  be  cut. 

So  soon  as  the  sap  begins  to  flow  freely  and  the  bark  break  by  the 
springing  of  new  shoots,  insert  sweet  "sprig"  buds,  ranging  from  the 
top  to  six  inches  below  the  top  of  the  stump,  inserting  four  or  more 
buds  to  the  tree.  I  have  sometimes  hastened  the  development  of  the 
bud  by  inserting  the  bud  before  cutting  off  the  top,  if  the  sap  was  flow- 
ing freely,  and  so  soon  as  the  bud  was  known  to  be  living  then  cutting 
oft"  the  top.  But  this  has  been  with  trees  standing  apart  from  others. 
Where  they  stand  thickly,  as  is  generally  the  case  in  the  wild  grove, 


16 

the  felling  of  the  tops  usually  knocks  out,  or  so  disturbs  the  bud  as  to 
cause  it  to  die. 

As  the  young  sour  shoots  start  rub  off  all  above  and  in  the  imme- 
diate vicinity  of  the  buds.  Allow  a  few  shoots  to  remain  along  the 
trunk,  but  pinch  them  back  after  growing  a  few  inches.  Be  careful  to 
allow  none  to  reach  higher  than  the  bud,  as  the  tendency  of  the  sap  is 
to  flow  in  greatest  abundance  to  the  highest  point.  I  have  already 
mentioned  some  advantages  to  be  derived  from  first  allowing  sour 
shoots  to  grow  and  then  pinching  them  back.  I  mention  one  other 
advantage.  This  method  soon  furnishes  new  and  mature  wood  on 
which  tq  bud  if  the  first  buds  fail. 

After  the  sweet  buds  have  grown  ten  or  twelve  inches  pinch  back, 
simply  taking  out  the  terminal  bud.  So  soon  as  the  buds  have  started 
if  airly  a  second  growth,  you  may  begin  to  lessen  the  quantity  of  the 
sour  shoots  below,  until  you  can  safely  risk  the  tree's  health  with  the 
foliage  furnished  by  the  sweet  bud.  You  may  have  to  occasionally 
pinch  back  the  sweet  bud.  It  is  safest  to  hold  it  in  such  check  as  will 
hasten  to  maturity  of  wood  and  thickness  rather  than  length  of  branches. 


17 
CHAPTER  IV. 

GROVES    FROM   TRANSPLANTED  SOUR   STUMPS. 

The  next  most  expeditious  way  of  getting  a  sweet  grove  is  from 
transplanted  stumps  of  sour  trees.  It  is  sometimes  the  case  that  per- 
sons improving  wild  groves,  having  budded  all  the  trees  and  finding 
them  too  thickly  set  on  the  ground,  will  sell  those  budded  stumps  at  a 
fair  price.  When  this  is  the  case  a  grove  can  be  brought  into  bearing 
in  a  short  time.  I  have  frequently  had  such  trees  to  fruit  the  same 
year  of  planting.  But  this  has  been  the  case  only  where  they  have 
been  'taken  up  with  great  care,  with  abundance  of  root  and  removed 
but  a  short  distance.  But  even  where  this  early  fruiting  can  be 
secured  the  policy  is  doubtful.  The  tree  should  not  be  taxed  with 
efforts  to  bear  fruit  so  early  after  its  removal  and  in  its  enfeebled  con- 
dition. It  requires  much  greater  effort  on  the  part  of  the  tree  to  bear 
fruit  than  to  produce  new  wood.  One  of  these  budded  sour  stumps  of 
medium  size,  carefully  taken  up  with  good  roots  and  carefully  culti- 
vated, will  begin  the  second  year  to  bear  considerable  fruit,  if  it  has 
not  been  allowed  to  fruit  the  year  of  planting.  The  third  year  such  a 
tree  will  begin  to  pay  a  good  interest  on  the  investment  of  purchase- 
money. 

There  are  some  objections  to  a  grove  of  this  kind.  These  trees 
from  old  stumps  never  grow  to  be  so  large  as  the  unbudded  seedlings, 
nor  bear  so  abundantly.  They  are  believed,  also,  to  be  much  shorter 
lived.  European  writers  tell  us  such  is  the  case,  but  I  do  not  believe 
that  our  experience  in  Florida  has  been  of  sufficient  length  to  test  the 
age  to  which  one  of  these  trees  will  live  and  bear  fruit.  One  other 
objection  I  will  mention.  It  is  generally  believed  that  it  is  hard  to 
make  the  old  stumps  live.  The  sad  experience  of  those  of  us,  who,  a 
few  years  ago,  bought  such  stumps  by  the  hundred  and  had  them  die 
almost  as  fast  as  they  were  set,  has  made  this  kind  of  business  very 
unpopular.  But  I  am  persuaded  that  most  of  this  disaster  can  be 
attributed  to  ignorance  and  carelessness.  I  am  satisfied  now  that  if  I 
had  handled  swreet  seedlings,  as  I  and  every  one  else  then  handled  sour 
stumps,  the  sweet  seedlings  would  have  died  almost  as  badly.  There 


18 

is  110  doubt  that  the  younger  the  tree  the  less  risk  there  is  in  removing 
it,  But  the  early  return  to  be  gathered  from  these  sour  stumps,  bud- 
ded either  before  or  after  removal,  will  justify  the  risk  in  planting  a 
few  in  every  new  grove,  and  if  the  stumps  can  be  bought  at  a  fair 
price  and  are  near  at  hand,  so  as  not  to  be  damaged  in  transporting 
them,  the  grower  would  do  well  to  plant  them  liberally.  In  trans- 
planting sour  stumps  too  much  care  can  not  be  exercised. 

Many  of  the  wild  groves  are  found  in  low  wet  laud.  The  tap- 
root is  small  and  the  laterals  near  the  surface,  while  reaching  a  consid- 
erable distance,  have  few  or  no  fibrous  roots  near  the  base  of  the  tree. 
They  have  also  been  accustomed  to  an  abundance  of  shade  and  mois- 
ture. One  must  see  at  once  that  new  and  entirely  different  habits  must 
be  formed  by  such  trees  transplanted  into  a  dryer  soil  and  with  less 
shade  and  moisture.  These  new  habits  have  to  be  formed  at  a  time 
whenthe  tree  is  least  able  to  bear  the  change.  It  is  better  to  select 
trees  grown  in  a  dryer  soil.  I  have,  however,  succeeded  in  transplant- 
ing trees  from  a  swamp,  at  the  time  of  taking  them  up,  flooded  with 
water.  Some  such  are  now  healthy  and  tine  bearers. 

In  taking  up  large  sour  trees  have  at  hand  a  sharp  axe,  a  sharp 
narrow  bladed  saw  and  two  sharp  spades  prepared  especially  for  such 
work.  The  spades  should  be  made  to  order,  narrower  than  usual,  with 
handle  and  jaws  sufficiently  stout  to  be  used  in  prying.  With  such 
tools  the  work  will  be  greatly  expedited  and  done  much  more  satisfac- 
torily. The  time  saved  in  one  day's  work  with  such  tools  will  pay  for 
their  cost. 

If  ready  to  begin,  saw  off  the  top,  leaving  a  stump  five  or  six  feet 
high  to  be  used  as  a  lever  for  bending  the  tree  out  of  its  bed.  Now 
drive  down  the  spade  cutting  the  roots  in  a  circle  two  feet  and  a  half 
from  the  base  or  trunk.  Shake  the  tree  to  see  if  all  the  lateral  roots 
have  been  cut.  If  not  it  will  be  necessary  to  cut  a  trench  the  width 
of  the  spade  to  enable  you  to  cut  deeper.  In  making  the  second  cut, 
incline  the  point  of  the  spade  towards  the  tap-root.  Next  cut  the  tap- 
root two  feet  and  a  half  from  the  surface  and  lift  the  stump  from  its 
bed.  Place  the  stumps  at  once  in  the  shade  and  wrap  them  well  with 
wet,  green  moss.  Protect  as  far  as  possible  from  the  sun  and  drying 
winds.  After  taking  a  stump  from  the  soil  plant  it  in  position  as  soon 


19 

as  possible.  One  great  cause  of  failure  has  arisen  from  keeping  them 
out  of  the  ground  too  long  and  allowing  the  roots  to  be  exposed  to 
wind  and  sun. 

In  setting  have  the  holes  freshly  dug.  Do  not  allow  the  soil  to 
dry  before  it  is  replaced  around  the  roots.  Dig  the  holes,  for  resetting, 
live  feet  wide  and  ten  or  twelve  inches  deep.  If  the  holes  are  dug  too 
deep  it  is  almost  impossible  to  keep  the  tree  from  sinking  too  deep  in 
its  position,  as  the  the  fresh  soil  settles.  In  the  center  of  the  hole  dig 
a  deeper  hole  the  width  of  the  spade  for  the  tap-root.  With  a  sharp 
knife,  and  where  the  roots  are  too  large  for  the  knife,  with  a  sharp  saw 
with  fine  teeth,  cut  away  all  fractures  and  bruises  from  the  ends  of 
roots.  So  set  the  tree  that  it  will  stand,  after  the  soil  has  been  settled 
by  showers,  a  little  higher  than  it  stood  in  its  original  bed.  It  had 
better  be  higher  by  two  inches  than  lower  by  one  inch  than  it  origi- 
nally grew,  You  cannot  be  too  cautious  at  this  point.  If  the  tree  is 
set  too  deep,  it  may  live1,  but  it  will  not  flourish  for  some  time.  It  may 
be  not  for  years,  but  certainly  not  till  it  has  sent  out  fresh  surface  roots 
to  take  the  place  of  those  which  have  been  smothered  by  having  been 
buried  too  deeply.  The  tree  having  been  put  in  position,  replace  the 
soil,  packing  it  first  firmly  around  the  tap-root.  Now  press  down  the 
ends  of  the  laterals  so  that  they  will  have  a  slight  dip  and  fill  in  with 
soil,  treading  it  firmly  upon  the  roots.  Finally  cover  over  with  two 
inches  of  light  soil  and  leave  the  ground  level.  When  the  ground 
is  sufficiently  wet  it  is  not  necessary  to  use  water.  But  if  the  ground 
is  dry  use  enough  water  to  settle  the  soil  firmly  around  the  roots,  and 
especially  around  the  tap-root,  but  do  not  wet  the  top  layer  of  earth. 
I  prefer  planting  after  showers  to  using  water.  If  the  planting  is 
done  in  Spring  or  Summer  mulch  at  once  with  one  or  two  inches  of 
litter,  and  if  the  trees  have  been  set  in  the  open  ground  shelter  them 
from  the  sun  by  setting  a  pine  bough  to  the  south  of  the  tree.  If  the 
stumps  have  been  taken  from  a  dry  soil  the  above  is  sufficient  to  insure 
their  living,  but  if  taken  from  a  very  wet  soil,  be  careful  to  keep  the 
ground  moist  till  the  new  roots  have  well  started  and  penetrated  well 
into  the  soil.  The  stump  should  be  cut  off  two  and  a  half  feet  high.  If 
the  stumps  have  been  budded  and  the  buds  have  grown  to  considerable 
length,  cut  them  back,  leaving  here  and  there  a  few  leaves  to  direct 


20 

the  current  of  the  sap  into  the  sweet  wood.  If  the  stumps  have  not 
been  budded,  so  soon  as  the  bark  begins  to  break  with  new  shoots  and 
separate  freely  from  the  wood,  insert  three  or  four  sprig  buds  near  the 
top  and  treat  the  tree  as  directed  in  budding  the  natural  grove.  Fer- 
tilizers should  not  be  added  till  the  tree  has  well  started. 


21 
CHAPTER  V. 

PLANTING   THE   ORANGE   SEED. 

In  selecting  seed  for  the  nursery,  if  you  intend  budding  the  young 
trees,  you  need  not  be  careful  as  to  the  quality  of  fruit  from  which  the 
seed  is  taken.  The  plant  from  the  sour  seed,  as  already  stated  will,  for 
Si  few  years,  grow  more  rapidly  but  make  a  smaller  tree  than  the  plant 
from  the  sweet  fruit. 

If  you  desire  to  grow  your  trees  without  budding  select  only  from 
the  best  fruit,  and  from  trees  not  grown  in  the  vicinity  of  any  trees 
bearing  sour  or  indifferent  fruit.  All  the  varieties  and  even  species  of 
the  citrus  family  mix  very  readily,  and  if  grown  in  close  proximity 
seeds  from  the  same  tree  will  give  an  endless  variety  of  fruits,  the  ten- 
dency however  being  towards  the  kind  produced  by  the  tree  from 
which  the  fruit  is  plucked,  as  the  pistils  are  more  apt  to  be  fertilized 
by  pollen  from  flowers  near  at  hand. 

If  sour  seed  are  to  be  planted  the  fruit  may  be  thrown  into  piles 
till  rotted  and  the  seed  washed  out  from  the  pulp.  But  whatever  kind 
is  used  do  not  allow  the  seed  to  dry.  Put  them  at  once  into  moist 
sand,  to  be  kept  till  ready  for  planting. 

The  seeds  may  be  planted  either  in  boxes  or  in  the  open  ground 
or  under  glass  as  quantity  or  other  circumstances  may  suggest.  If 
iruit  is  eaten  in  the  early  winter  the  seed  may  at  once  be  planted  in 
boxes  and  the  boxes  set  in  some  warm  place  indoors  and  the  plants  be 
so  far  advanced  as  to  be  ready  to  set  in  the  nursery  early  in  the  Spring. 

In  preparing  beds  or  boxes  for  seed  have  the  bottom  soil  covered 
two  or  three  inches  deep  with  fresh  leaf  mold  from  the  hummock. 
Place  the  seeds  about  one  inch  apart  and  cover  with  half  an  inch  of 
soil — leaf  mold.  Finish  by  a  covering  of  one  inch  of  mulching  and 
.thorough  watering.  Keep  the  soil  moist,  but  not  wet.  If  the  seed 
bed  is  in  the  open  ground  it  is  well  to  hold  the  mulching  in  place  by 
laying  a  few  brush  on  the  bed. 

I  have  sometimes  succeeded  very  well  by  allowing  the  seed  to 
remain  in  a  box  of  sand  till  they  have  started  to  sprout  and  then  plant- 
ing them  directly  in  the  nursery.  In  this  case  select  a  place  partially 


22 

sheltered  by  forest  trees.  Prepare  the  soil  thoroughly  for  ten  or  twelve 
inches  deep.  Open  the  rows  four  feet  apart  and  eight  inches  deep. 
Fill  to  within  two  inches  of  the  top  with  well  rotted  muck,  drop  the 
seed  three  inches  apart  and  cover  with  one  and  a  half  inches  of  soil. 

In  selecting  a  position  for  the  nursery,  if  your  place  is  well  pro* 
tected  by  water  on  the  cold  points,  you  may  risk  your  nursery  in  the 
open  field.  But  if  you  are  not  satisfied  about  the  protection  select  a 
position  sheltered  from  the  morning  sun  to  prevent  the  too  sudden 
thawing  after  a  frost.  I  would  prefer  shade  on  the  south  as  well,  a? 
the  sun  sometimes  breaks  out  suddenly  during  a  cold  snap  about  noon. 
Under  such  circumstances  I  have  known  serious  damage  done  to  young 
plants.  A  still  better  plan  is  to  clear  away  a  half  or  a  quarter  of 
an  acre  of  ground  in  the  midst  of  a  tall  forest.  Around  this  half  acre 
or  quarter  acre  sink  a  ditch  two  feet  deep  in  order  to  cut  the  surface 
roots  of  the  forest  trees.  Plow  or  spade  the  land  deep.  Open  the 
rows  four  feet  apart  and  eight  or  ten  inches  deep,  fill  them  with  good 
muck  or  leaf  mold  clear  of  such  litter  as  would  attract  wood  lice. 
Over  this  muck  place  an  inch  or  two  of  soil  to  keep  the  muck  moist. 
A  dressing  of  ashes  or  slacked  lime  will  be  of  advantage,  especially  if 
the  muck  has  not  been  previously  well  rotted  in  heaps.  Your  land 
can  now  stand  till  the  trees  are  ready  to  be  taken  from  the  seed  bed. 
Some  prefer  putting  the  muck,  or  whatever  fertilizer  used,  broadcast 
over  the  land.  But  my  reason  for  advising  the  muck  to  be  put  in 
drills  is  that  if  well  rotted  it  will  not  heat,  but  will  serve  to  keep  the 
roots  of  the  young  plant  in  a  compact  body.  A  great  deal  is  saved  by 
this  means  when  you  come  to  transplant  to  the  grove,  the  roots  having 
grown  in  a  compact  body  very  little  will  be  lost  by  root  pruning. 
And  where  the  distance  from  the  nursery  to  the  grove  is  short, 
and  the  transplanting  is  done  when  the  ground  is  wet,  the  entire  ball 
of  muck  may  be  taken  along  with  and  adhering  to  the  roots  and  the 
tree  hardly  feel  the  shock  of  the  removal.  When  the  young  plants 
in  the  seed  beds  are  a  few  inches  high  and  have  four  or  five  leaves, 
they  may  be  transplanted  to  the  nursery.  In  taking  them  up  cut  off 
the  ends  of  the  tap-roots  so  that  they  will  not  be  apt  to  double  up  in 
setting  them.  The  setting  is  better  done  in  rainy  weather.  The 
ground  should  be  thoroughly  wet  in  order  to  insure  a  good  result. 


23 

The  rows  can  now  be  opened  four  or  five  inches  deep  and  the  young 
plants  dropped  at  a  distance  of  six  inches  apart.  Let  a  hand  follow 
and  before  the  roots  have  time  to  dry  set  them  in  an  upright  position, 
carefully  spreading  out  the  roots  and  packing  the  soil  around  them. 
Be  careful  not  to  set  the  plants  deeper  than  they  grew  in  the  seed  beds. 
When  a  row  or  two  have  been  set  level  off  the  ground  with  a  rake, 
leaving  the  sandy  soil  on  the  surface  and  not  the  muck,  as  the  latter 
hardens  under  the  influence  of  the  sun.  If  a  shower  does  not  follow 
soon  it  is  well  to  water,  in  order  to  settle  the  earth  well  around  the 
roots.  If  the  sun  is  hot  a  little  shade  for  a  few  weeks  would  be  bene- 
ficial. Pine  boughs  can  be  laid  over  the  ground,  or  palmetto  leaves 
stuck  along  the  rows.  The  nursery  should  be  thoroughly  worked  and 
kept>  clear  of  weeds  and  grass  and  the  soil  frequently  stirred  for  the 
depth  of  two  inches. 


24 
CHAPTER  VI. 

BUDDING. 

Where  it  is  the  purpose  of  the  orange  grower  to  bud  his  trees  it  is 
better  that  the  budding  should  be  done  before  the  trees  are  taken  from 
the  nursery.  The  reasons  are,  1st,  the  sooner  in  the  life  of  the  tree  the 
budding  is  done  the  sooner  and  more  thoroughly  the  healing  of  the 
wounds ;  2d,  the  budding  is  done  with  greater  ease  and  rapidity  in  the 
nursery  than  in  the  grove;  3d,  in  transplanting  trees  of  considerable 
size  it  is  impossible  to  take  up  all  the  roots,  and,  as  it  is  necessary  that 
the  top  should  not  exceed  in  proportion  the  roots  in  transplanting 
trees,  it  is  beneficial  to  cut  back  the  top  considerably.  If  the  bud- 
ding has  been  done  but  a  few  months  before  transplanting  the  wounds 
will  have  healed  and  the  proportion  between  the  roots  and  top  will 
have  become  about  right  for  transplanting  without  the  necessity  of 
inflicting  new  wounds  upon  the  branches  at  a  time  when  the  tree  is  in 
its  most  delicate  condition. 

A  good  time  to  begin  to  bud  is  when  the  trees  in  the  nursery  are 
one  year  old.  By  budding  every  alternate  tree  the  budded  trees  can 
be  set  the  following  season,  leaving  greater  space  for  larger  growth  ofj 
the  trees  left  in  the  nursery.  Those  remaining  can  be  budded  when 
two  years  old  and  set  the  season  following.  Where  trees  are  to  be 
bought  from  the  nurseryman  it  is  preferable  to  plant  trees  older  than 
one  or  two  years,  as  older  trees  come  into  bearing  sooner.  But  where 
persons  are  growing  their  own  stock  the  sooner  they  are  set,  after  the 
first  year,  in  position,  the  more  rapidly  they  will  grow,  if  the  trees  are 
properly  cultivated. 

In  budding  nursery  stock,  but  one  plan,  that  of  inserting  a  single 
bud,  is  practiced.  The  graft  has  not  done  well.  Grafted  trees  will 
live,  but  they  do  not  grow  so  thriftily  as  the  budded  tree.  Grafting  is 
sometimes  resorted  to  when  one  wishes  to  preserve  a  new  variety  and 
he  has  obtained  a  cutting  of  this  new  variety  in  Winter  when  the  sap 
is  not  in  condition  for  budding.  Sprig  budding  is  not  resorted  to  for 
nursery  stock,  as  the  stem  is  usually  too  small  to  admit  the  sprig.  Do 
not  attempt  to  bud  except  when  the  sap  is  flowing  freely,  so  freely  that 


25 

the  bud  will  readily  lift  the  bark  as  you  push  it  downward  into  its 
position.  The  stock  to  be  budded  should  be  trimmed  so  as  to  have  as 
few  as  possible  branches  or  leaves  in  the  way  of  the  operator.  The 
trimming  should  be  done  several  days  beforehand  so  that  the  wounds 
may  be  in  a  healing  condition  and  the  flow  of  sap  not  checked  by  too 
much  cutting  at  the  time  of  budding.  The  budding  knife  should  be 
sharp  that  it  will  (nit  through  the  hard  wood  of  the  bud  without  split- 
ting the  fiber  of  the  wood  or  bark. 

Select  buds  from  healthy  and  vigorous  trees  of  the  variety  to  be 
propagated.  They  should  not  be  too  old  or  they  will  be  slow  in  start- 
ing, nor  too  young  lest  they  perish.  The  wood  from  which  they  are 
taken  should  be  nearly  mature,  between  the  angular  and  the, round. 
Select  buds  with  well  developed  eyes.  It  is  sometimes  the  case 
that  insects  have  eaten  out  the  eyes.  It  is  useless  to  put  in  such  buds. 
In  cutting  the  bud  from  the  branch  do  not  hold  the  blade  of  the  knife 
at  right  angles  with  the  branch,  as  in  such  a  position  it  is  likely  to  slip 
in  and  out  following  the  grain  of  the  wood  and  so  giving  an  uneven 
surface  to  the  face  of  the  bud.  The  face  of  the  bud  should  be  so  level 
and  straight  that  when  it  is  pushed  into  its  position  the  cut  surface 
should  at  all  points  touch  the  wood  of  the  stock  and  so  exclude  the  air. 
To  prevent  this  irregularity  of  surface  hold  the  blade  of  the  knife 
firmly  in  the  hand  and  almost  parallel  with  the  branch  from  which  the 
bud  is  being  cut.  In  cutting  draw  the  knife  to  you  as  the  cut  will  be 
smoother  by  this  method  than  if  the  bud  were  severed  from  the  branch 
by  simply  pressing  the  blade  through  the  wood.  The  knife  should  be 
inserted  half  an  inch  above  the  bud  and  come  out  a  half  or  three  quar- 
ters of  an  inch  below.  It  is  better  to  insert  the  bud  on  the  north  side 
•of  the  stock.  The  incision  in  the  stock  should  be  made  with  a  down- 
ward cut  and  about  three  fourths  of  an  inch  long.  At  the  top  of  this 
incision  make  a  cross  incision,  each  time  only  cutting  through  the 
bark.  With  the  point  of  the  knife,  turning  the  back  of  the  blade 
to  the  wood,  so  as  not  to  dull  the  blade,  raise  the  bark  at  the  top 
of,k  and  on  either  side  of  the  first  incision  so  as  to  enable  you  to 
insert  and  push  down  the  bud.  If  the  sap  is  flowing  freely  the 
bud  in  its  downward  motion  will  easily  l^ft  the  bark  and  as  it 
takes  its  position  exclude  the  air  from  beneath  it  and  the  wood 


26 

of  the  stock.  After  the  bud  has  been  pushed  partly  down  with 
the  fingers,  place  the  blade  of  the  knife  one-fourth  of  an  inch  above 
the  eye  of  the  bud  and  perpendicular  to  the  line  of  the  first  incis- 
ion, press  the  knife  through  the  bark  of  the  bud  and  by  a  down- 
ward motion  force  the  bud  down  till  the  knife  comes  directly  over  the 
second  incision.  Tie  in  the  bud  with  strips  of  cloth  a  quarter  or  a 
half  inch  wide,  or,  what  is  better,  with  strings  of  woolen  yarn,  as  it« 
elasticity  will  not  allow  the  strangling  of  the  bud  so  soon.  In  tying 
do  not  bring  the  cloth  or  string  in  contact  with  the  eye  of  the  bud.  So 
wrap  as  to  hold  the  bud  firmly  in  its  place  and  to  exclude  the  rain  if 
any  should  fall  soon  after  budding.  Revisit  the  buds  8  or  10  days 
after  they  have  been  inserted.  If  they  are  living  take  the  wrapping 
from  that  part  of  the  bud  below  the  eye.  The  wrapping  above  the 
eye  may  be  loosened  but  it  should  not  be  taken  off  so  soon.  Where 
the  bud  is  living  cut  off  the  stock  three  or  four  inches  above.  As  the 
bud  grows  it  should  be  tied  to  this  upper  section  of  the  stock  for  sup- 
port. After  the  bud  has  started  on  its  second  growth,  if  the  stock  is 
small,  it  should  now  be  cut  off  just  above  the  bud,  if  larger  a  longer 
time  should  be  allowed  before  cutting  off  the  stock  close  to  the  bud. 

Before  leaving  this  subject  attention  is  called  to  the  importance  of 
having  the  top  of  the  bud  fit  neatly  against  the  bark  above.  The  law 
governing  the  growth  of  trees  is  this :  the  sap  passing  upward  through 
the  pores  of  the  sap  wood  is  elaborated  through  the  leaf.  It  is  only 
after  the  new  sap  has  entered  the  leaf  and  absorbed  carbon  from  the 
atmosphere  that  it  is  ready  to  make  new  wood.  The  sap  having 
secured  its  carbon  descends  the  tree  mainly  between  the  bark  and  the 
wood.  As  it  descends  evaporation  is  carried  on  through  the  pores  of 
the  bark,  and  the  thickened  sap  makes  a  deposit  along  the  line  of  its 
descent  and  around  the  trunk  of  the  tree  just  under  the  bark.  This 
thickened  sap  presently  hardens  into  wood.  It  is  this  fact,  that  new 
wood  is  generally  formed  by  this  downward  flow  of  sap,  which  makes 
it  so  important  that  the  top  of  the  bud  should  come  in  close  contact 
with  the  upper  bark.  Placed  thus  it  is  put  in  contact  with,  and  in  the 
way  of  the  direct  current  of  life.  Placed  otherwise  its  hope  of  life  is 
dependent  upon  lateral  circulation  or  absorption. 


27 
CHAPTER  VII. 

IN   SELECTING    A    LOCATION    FOR   AN   ORANGE   GROVE 

Special  reference  should  be  had  to  Drainage,  Soil,  Water  Protection, 
Forest  Protection,  Proximity  to  Fertilizers  and  Facilities  for  Trans- 
portation.    The  soil  for  a  grove  should  be  thoroughly  drained  either 
naturally  or  artificially.     Not  only  should  the  surface  water  be  carried 
off1,  but  the  drainage  should  be  so  deep  as  to  allow  roots,  and  especially 
the  tap-root,  to  penetrate  for  several  feet:    Some  think  that  less  than 
ten  feet  is  not  sufficient.     But  there  are  in  this  State  groves  of  fine  old 
trees  and  good  bearers  with  considerable  less  than  ten  feet  of  drained 
soil.    The  sour  stock  will  flourish  on  a  much  wetter  soil  than  the  sweet. 
And  it  may  be  that  these  groves  that  have  long  done  well  in  such 
localities  are  sour  stocks  budded.     Where  choice  of  location  can  be 
made,  and  especially  if  sweet  stocks  are  to  be  planted,  select  a  soil  well 
drained  by  nature.     Art  and  labor  can  accomplish  a  great  deal,  but  it 
costs  something  and  the  effect  is  not  so  permanent  as  when  nature  has 
done  the  work.     If  no  positive  evil  arise  from  a  wet  subsoil  in  close 
proximity  to  the  surface,  still  there  are  reasons  why  a  deep,  dry,  or 
moist  soil  is  better.     While  it  is  true  that  the  principal  feeders  of -the 
orange  lie  near  the  surface,  yet  whoever  will  take  the  pains  to  examine 
the  roots  of  an  old  orange  tree  grown  in  a  deep  and  well  drained  sub- 
soil will  find  that  these  roots  have  penetrated  for  many  feet  deep  into 
the  earth  and  in  all  directions  from  the  tree.     Now  if  trees  have  been 
set  twenty  feet  apart  in  the  grove  and  the  soil  is  drained  but  one  foot 
deep  the  roots  of  each  tree  have  but  four  hundred  cubic  feet  of  soil  in 
which  to  feed — 20x20—400.     But  if  the  soil  has  been  drained  to  the 
depth  of  ten  feet,  then  the  feeding  ground  for  the  roots  has  been  in- 
creased ten  fold  and  instead  of  four  hundred  cubic  feet  of  soil  in  wrhich 
to  feed  the  tree  has  four  thousand  cubic  feet— 20x20x10=4000.     This 
advantage  is   more  especially  to   be  considered  where  the  subsoil  is 
sandy,  as  in  such  a  soil  air  and  other  nutriment  for  the  roots  penetrate 
to  a  greater  depth.     But  there  are  some  of  these  wet  soils  found  in 
our  State  that  are  positively  poisonous  to  the  orange,  as  they  contain 
a   large   per-centum  of  salt — chloride  of  sodium.     Such  is  the  Ncase 


28 

with  soils  underlaid  with  "hard  pan,"  a  stratum,  seemingly  of  dark 
sandstone,  underlying,  and  generally  but  a  few  feet  from  the  surface, 
many  sections  of  our  State.  Analysis  will  likely  show  this  "hard  pan" 
to  be  a  concrete  of  sand,  iron  and  salt.  The  best  surface  indication  of 
the  presence  of  "hard  pan"  is  an  abundance  of  saw  palmetto  with  an 
abundance  of  roots  above  the  surface.  The  palmetto  feeds  largely 
upon  salt,  its  roots  containing  an  unusually  large  per-cent.  But  "  what 
is  fun"  and  life  to  the  palmetto  is  death  to  the  orange,  as  well  as  to  the 
pockets  of  hundreds  of  those  who  have  attempted  in  vain  to  grow 
oranges  on  lands  underlaid  with  "hard  pan."  If  your  land  has  on  it 
an  abundance  of  saw  palmetto  with  roots  on  the  surface  do  not  select 
that  location  for  an  orange  grove  until  you  have  dug  a  few  feet  below 
the  surface  in  search  of  "hard  pan."  If  you  wish  to  ascertain  the 
<iepth  of  natural  drainage  revisit  the  hole  twenty-four  hours  after  it  is 
dug,  and  measure  the  distance  from  the  top'  of  the  water  to  the  surface 
of  the  ground.  This  distance  is  the  depth  of  the  natural  drainage  of 
the  soil. 

The  orange  will  grow  in  a  variety  of  soils — in  clayey,  sandy, 
shelly  or  loamy  soils ;  in  hummocks  black  or  grey,  on  pine  lands  or 
black-jack  ridges.  It  does  well  on  soil  underlaid  with  clay  or  sand. 
It  will  even  do  well  on  a  light  soil  underlaid  with  white  sand  if  fertil- 
izers are  annually  applied.  But  whoever  wishes  to  plant  an  orange 
grove  should  be  careful  to  select  the  best  available  soil.  Perhaps  the 
poorest  soil  suitable  for  orange  growing  is  that  underlaid  with  a  white 
sand,  as  such  a  soil  leaches  very  readily  the  soluble  manure.  Perhaps 
the  best  soil  is  found  in  our  dark  grey  hummock  with  deep  soil  under- 
laid with  a  yellow  clay  or  yellow  sand  subsoil.  The  natural  growth 
should  be  tall  and  large  with  an  abundance  of  live  oak  and  hickory,  as 
such  a  growth  would  indicate  an  abundance  of  lime.  Of  our  pine  land 
that  on  which  the  hickory  is  found  mixed  with  the  pine,  with  yellow 
subsoil,  should  rank  first.  Such  a  soil  is  really  a  mixed  hummock  and 
pine.  Next  to  this  is  the  pine,  mixed  with  willow — oak  and  black-jack. 
Considering  the  ease  with  which  such  lands,  as  the  last  two  classes,  are 
cleared  and  planted,  the  readiness  with  which  the  orange  grows  on 
them,  they  deserve  a  high  rank,  and  especially  if  fertilizers  are  close  at 
hand.  In  selecting  a  location  in  the  purely  pine  lands,  select  that 


29 

which  is  thickly  set  with  tall  trees,  well  drained  and  with  a  yellow  sub- 
soil. Such  soils,  if  occasionally  dressed  with  alkaline  manures,  grow 
the  orange  admirably. 

While  with  proper  care  the  orange  may  be  grown  successfully  in 
almost  any  portion  of  the  State  of  Florida,  still  it  is  wise  to  select  a 
location  which  may  combine  all  conditions  favorable  to  the  best 
results.  Among  the  favorable  conditions  we  would  mention  water 
protection.  Whoever  has  traveled  over  the  State,  not  by  railroad  or 
steamboat,  but  through  the  country,  and  noted  the  effects  of  frost  here 
and  there  upon  the  orange  trees,  and  especially  at  the  close  of  a  severe 
winter,  must  attach  great  importance  to  water  protection .  Its  advant- 
ages were  known  to  the  old  settlers,  as  witness  their  frequent  advice  to 
those,  who  in  later  years,  have  gone  into  the  orange  business.  Its 
advantages  were  known  to  and  made  available  by  nature  so  far  back 
that  "  the  memory  of  man  knoweth  not  to  the  contrary,"  as  witness  the 
many  wild  orange  groves  to  the  south-east  of  lakes  and  rivers.  As 
our  coldest  winds  come  from  the  north-west,  the  benefit  of  water  pro- 
tection on  any  given  location  is  in  propoation  to  the  width  of  the  water 
lying  to  the  north-west,  and  the  proximity  of  such  a  body  of  water  to 
said  location.  There  may  be  seeming  exceptions  to  this  general  rule. 
Air  currents  are  governed  by  laws  similar  to  those  governing  water. 
Hence,  when  any  obstruction  suddenly  opposes  a  current,  whether  of 
air  or  water,  an  eddy  or  circular  motion  is  given  to  the  current.  Bod- 
ies of  timber  with  dense  undergrowth  standing  on  the  north  or  north- 
west of  a  grove  and  along  the  shore  of  the  river  or  lake  have  the  effect 
of  creating  a  rolling  current  of  air  like  a.  breaker  from  the  ocean  roll- 
ing over  a  sand  bai^  and  so,  when  the  wind  is  from  the  north-west, 
bring  down  upon  the  grove  a  stratum  of  freezing  air  from  above.  The 
remedy  for  this  is  to  clear  out  the  underbrush  along  the  shore  and 
allow  the  warmer  air  from  the  surface  of  the  water  to  flow  through  the 
grove.  The  taller  trees  should  stand  to  break  the  violence  of  the  wind 
from  the  orange  grove  and  to  check  the  violence  of  the  air  current 
upon  the  moist  soil,  which  readily  yields  its  moisture  along  with  its 
heat  to  a  strong  air  current  and  so  intensifies  the  cold.  It  is  regretted 
that  some  good  locations  along  the  St.  Johns  have  been  marred  and 
groves  made  to  suffer  damage  from  want  of  attention  to  the  above. 


30 

The  above  facts  also  account  for  the  observation  that  the  frost  some- 
times "  strikes  in  spots  or  streaks." 

Proximity  to  fertilizers  is  another  favorable  condition  to  be  con- 
sidered. The  orange  tree  is  a  ravenous  feeder  and  an  abundant  bearer, 
and  however  fertile  the  original  soil  may  be,  and  even  though  it  should 
be  sufficient  to  produce  fine  trees  and  sustain  them  for  a  few  years,  any 
soil  would  finally  become  exhausted  and  need  to  be  replenished.  Com- 
mercial manures  can  be  bought,  but  even  when  transportation  is  cheap 
the  cost  is  considerable.  The  abundant  and  frequent  deposits  of  muck 
iu  almost  every  locality  have  been  shown  by  repeated  experiments  to 
be  a  valuable  fertilizer.  It  would  be  well  for  the  person  looking  for  a 
location  for  an  orange  grove  to  have  an  eye  to  such  a  deposit  close  to 
the  place  for  the  intended  grove.  Leaves  and  ashes  from  a  hummock 
close  at  hand,  a  shell  bank,  or  limestone  from  which  lime  may  be  pro- 
cured, should  also  be  considered. 

Facilities  for  transportation  is  the  last  item  to  be  noticed  in  this 
chapter  of  favorable  conditions  to  be  considered  in  locating  an  orange 
grove.  One  other  condition  will  be 'discussed  in  a  separate  chapter. 
The  orange  will  bear  transportation  well,  whether  the  expense  of  trans- 
portation, or  perishableness  of  the  fruit  be  considered.  But  it  would 
be  well  for  the  readeiycontemplating  planting  oranges,  to  estimate  the 
cost  of  hauling  say  five  miles  by  wagon  or  cart — an  average  crop  of 
oranges  grown  on  an  acre,  before  he  locates  too  far  from  a  navigable 
stream  or  from  a  railroad.  He  can  make  the  estimate  for  himself,  and 
it  will  certainly  have  some  weight  in  determining  the  location. 


31 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE    ADVANTAGES    OF    PARTIAL    FOREST   SHELTER 

Will  be  considered  in  this  chapter.  Its  frequent  discussion  among 
orange  growers,  its  importance  to  all,  and  especially  its  importance  to 
many  portions  of  the  State  where  success  must  ever  depend  upon  either 
forest  or  some  artificial  protection,  demands  careful  consideration. 
Many  persons  have  heretofore  considered  it  unnecessary,  and  the  idea 
even  absurd.  But  years  of  experience  and  observation  and  especially 
the  experience  of  the  winter  of  1876-7  have  made  many  converts. 
Let  the  reader  consider  some  facts  that  may  be  mentioned. 

Wild  groves  have  grown  luxuriantly,  have  borne  abundantly,  and 
lasted,  no  one  knows  how  long,  not  suffering,  so  far  as  the  writer  has 
been  informed,  even  from  the  severe  frost  of  1835;  and  all  under  forest 
protection.  Again,  all  through  Florida  in  almost  every  old  settled 
community  and  evenin  the  southern  tier  of  counties  in  Georgia,  there 
are  a  few  old  trees  standing  and  bearing  well  and  fine  fruit.  Hun- 
dreds seeing  these  trees  have  thought  that  what  has  been  done  once 
can  be  done  again,  and  have  planted  in  the  same  neighborhood  of 
such  trees,  but  unfortunately  in  the  open  field,  or  what  is  equally  fatal, 
where  the  morning  sun  would  smite  the  orange  tree  after  a  frost,  and 
have  failed.  They  have  failed  to  consider  that  these  trees  that  have 
survived  so  long  and  done  so  well,  were  planted  in  almost  a  dense 
forest  when  only  a  few  forest  trees  had  been  cut  to  give  place  to  the 
cabin  of  the  early  settler;  or  that  they  were  planted  on  the  north  or 
west  side  of  the  house  and  thus  never  exposed  to  sudden  thawing ;  that 
under  some  such  protection  of  house  or  forest  they  passed  through  the 
tender  age  of  their  early  life  until  their  own  boughs  could  furnish 
their  trunks  the  protection  needed.  As  to  the  questions  of  productive- 
ness and  thrift  under  partial  forest  protection  they  are  settled  by  the 
success  of  the  few  who  in  the  face  of  opposing  theories  have  planted 
and  succeeded.  Some  of  the  most  thrifty  young  groves  in  the  State, 
grown  with  less  expense  and  equal  to  any  of  their  age  in  productive- 
ness, have  been  grown  under  the  shelter  of  the  pine  or  oak  trees. 
Many  groves  one  year  ago  in  a  most  flourishing  condition,  and 


32 

supposed  to  be  well  located  with  reference  to  protection  from  frost, 
some  far  south  and  with  considerable  water  to  the  north-west,  were 
seriously  damaged,  and  many  trees  beginning  to  bear  entirely  killed ; 
but  the  writer  has  not  heard  of  a  single  instance  of  damage  to  trees 
where  they  were  protected  by  forest  trees  standing  to  the  south  and 
east  of  the  oranges. 

Even  the  lemon,  much  tenderer  than  the  orange,  was  unhurt 
where  so  protected.  One  other  instance.  On  the  south  or  south-east 
of  Orange  Lake  stood  two  beautiful  and  extensive  orange  groves  side 
by  side.  They  were  wild  groves  budded  and  just  coming  into  bearing. 
They  both  had  the  same  water  protection.  One  grove  was  judiciously 
protected  by  forest  trees  left  standing  at  suitable  intervals,  the  other- 
grove  was  without  such  forest  protection.  All  the  forest  trees  had 
been  cut  down.  A  few  days  after  the  severe  frost  of  the  winter  of 
1876-7  the  sheltered  grove  was  still  as  green  as  in  mid  summer,  while 
the  other  appeared  as  though  a  fire  had  swept  through  it.  Its  leaves 
were  dead  or  fallen,  while  thousands  of  dollars  worth  of  fruit,  frozen 
and  spoiled,  hung  upon  the  naked  branches.  The  owner  estimates 
that  if  he  had  left  a  few  forest  trees  in  his  grove  they  would  now  be 
worth  to  him  twenty  thousand  dollars.  Are  not  such  facts  sufficient 
to  check  somewhat  the  reckless  destruction  of  our  noble  forest  trees 
and  nature's  chosen  protectors? 

In  leaving  trees  f}r  purpose  of  shelter  for  the  orange  the  direction 
given  in  chapter  third  on  budding  sour  groves  should  be  attended  to. 
Suitable  trees  at  suitable  distances  should  be  left.  Three  things  are 
especially  desirable:  1st,  the  rays  of  the  early  morning  sun  should  be 
kept  from  falling  directly  on  the  frosted  trees.  As  the  sun  hangs  far 
to  the  south  during  our  coldest  weather,  tall  forest  trees  on  the  south 
and  east  would  materially  benefit  orange  trees  standing  from  one  to 
two  hundred  feet  from  them.  2d,  the  rays  of  the  sun  should  be  per- 
mitted to  fall,  during  some  portion  of  the  day,  and  in  summer  during 
a  considerable  portion  of  the  day,  upon  each  tree  in  the  grove  as  the 
rays  of  the  sun,  direct  or  indirect,  are  essential  to  plant  life  and  health. 
But  in  our  sunny  climate  and  long  summers,  shade  and  sun,  alterna- 
ting throughout  the  day,  are  found  to  be  most  favorable  to  many 
plants.  3rd,  the  roots  of  the  forest  trees  should  be  kept  out  of  the 


33 

way  of  the  principal  feeders  of  the  orange.  Of  course  the  orange 
trees  should  be  as  thoroughly  cultivated  as  if  they  stood  in  the  open 
field.  Failures  in  forest  culture — and  there  have  been  some  abomina 
ble  failures — have  occurred  only  where  these  points  have  been  disre- 
garded. 

.  The  following  plan  is  suggested  as  one  to  which  it  is  believed  no 
reasonable  exception  can  be  made.  Select  a  forest  of  tall  and  thickly 
set  trees,  whether  of  pine  or  hummock.  Clear  out  the  under  brush  so 
as  to  allow  a  free  circulation  of  air  and  to  enable  you  to  lay  off  more 
accurately  your  land.  This  done  lay  off  a  straight  line  as  the  base 
of  operating.  Allowing  your  land  to  be  a  plat  of  five  acres  lying 
north  and  south,  let  this  base  line  run  east  and  west  fifty  feet  north 
of,  and  parallel  to  your  southern  boundary.  Run  a  second  line  one 
hundred  and  five  feet  north  of,  and  parallel  to  the  first;  so  continue 
through  the  plat  running  these  east  and  west  lines  at  intervals  between, 
alternating  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  and  five,  and  from  one  hundred 
and  five  to  fifty  feet  apart.  Now  begin  on  the  east  side,  and  fifty  feet 
from  your  eastern  boundary  you  can  run  your  base  line,  perpendicu- 
lar to  your  first  base  line.  Go  th rough  the  plat  as  before,  alternating 
the  distances  between  the  lines  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  and  five  feet 
apart.  You  now  have  your  land  laid  off  in  smaller  squares  of  fifty 
feet  and  paralellograms  ofx  fifty  by  one  hundred  and  five  feet.  The 
timber  on  these  smaller  squares  and  parallelograms  is  to  be  left  stand- 
ing. You  have  also  a  number  of  large  squares  105x105.  or  about  one 
quarter  of  an  acre  each.  These  larger  squares  are  to  be  cleared  of  the 
timber  and  made  ready  for  planting  orange  trees,  and  each  square  will 
be  found  to  be  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  a  strip  of  timber  fifty  feet 
wide.  Around  these  squares,  next  tto  the  timber,  cut  a  ditch  two  and 
a  half,  or  if  you  wish,  three  feet  deep  so  as  to  cut  all  the  roots  of  forest 
trees  that  would  interfere  with  the  orange.  To  prevent  this  ditch  from 
draining  the  moisture  from  the  grove  fill  it  with  the  litter  from  the 
orange  land  and  leaves  from  the  forest.  The  next  year  clear  out  this 
ditch,  use  the  rotten  leaves  as  a  fertilizer  for  your  grove  and  fill  the 
ditch  again  with  leaves  from  the  forest  around.  By  this  means  you 
can  have  an  endless  supply  of  manure  close  at  hand,  you  can  have  the 
benefit  of  the  sun  and  the  benefit  of  forest  protection  without  any 
damage  from  the  roots  from  the  forest  trees. 


84 

In  sections  where  the  frost  does  not  fall  so  heavily  these  squares 
for  the  orange  may  be  greatly  enlarged.  But  for  the  northern  tier  of 
counties  in  this  State,  where  there  may  not  be  sufficient  water  protec- 
tion, the  dimensions  given  are  large  enough. 

With  such  a  system  as  the  above  no  man  in  Florida  who  has  the 
soil  and  the  [timber  need  hesitate  to  plant  largely  of  this  valuable 
fruit,  both  for  himself  and  for  market. 

In  the  cut  below  the  dark  lines  represent  the  forest  which  has  not 
been  cut  away,  the  white  spaces  represent  the  spaces  cleared  for  orange 
trees. 


36 

CHAPTER  IX. 

t  R  ANSPL  ANTING. 

Before  the  work  of  transplanting  begins  the  soil  for  the  grove 
should  be  well  prepared.  It  is  most  generally  the  case  that  the  great 
hurry  to  get  the  trees  into  the  ground  causes  much  neglect  at  this 
point,  but  this  policy  is  a  bad  one.  The  haste  should  have  reference 
to  the  early  fruiting  and  rapid  growth  of  the  tree ;  and  they  are  not 
brought  about  by  careless  preparation  of  the  soil.  The  soil  should  be 
deeply  and  thoroughly  broken  and  the  ground  cleared  of  the  roots. 
To  insure  the  setting  of  the  trees  a  proper  and  uniform  depth  the 
ground  should  be  well  leveled  with  harrow  or  drag.  No  manure 
should  be  used  at  the  time  of  setting,  nor  before,  unless  applied  some 
months  before  setting  and  thoroughly  incorporated  with  the  soil. 

The  best  time  for  setting  trees  is  the  late  winter  or  early  spring- 
before  the  new  wood  has  started.  The  ground  is  then  cool  and  the 
roots  in  as  dormant  condition  as  at  any  time  during  the  year.  It  is 
better  that  the  ground  should  be  wet  and  the  setting  followed  by 
showers.  But  wet  soil  is  not  so  essential  at  this  time  of  the  year  as  it 
is  when  the  transplanting  has  been  done  later  and  the  ground  and  sun 
are  warmer.  If  the  work  of  transplanting  has  not  been  completed 
before  the  warm,  dry  weather  of  Spring  has  set  in  and  before  new  wood 
has  advanced  far,  it  is  best  to  defer  the  work  till  the  frequent  showers 
of  August  and  September  begin  to  fall.  Good  results  sometimes  fol- 
low Slimmer,  Fall,  and  Winter  planting,  but  these  seasons  are  not  so 
good  as  the  months  of  February,  March  and  April.  One  exception  to 
this  rule  should  be  stated.  Where  trees  are  to  be  set  under  forest 
protection  so  that  they  will  escape  any  damage  from  frost,  the  late  Fall 
is  the  best  time,  as  trees  set  at  that  time  are  well  established  and  ready 
to  start  by  the  Spring. 

In  taking  up  the  trees  great  care  should  be  taken  to  prevent 
breaking  or  bruising  the  roots.  As  many  roots  as  possible  should 
be  taken  up.  If  the  distance  from  the  nursery  to  the  site  of  the 
j*rove  be  short,  and  the  nursery  rows  have  been  well  manured 
with  muck,  and  the  ground  is  wet  at  the  time  of  lifting  the 


36 

trees  from  the  nursery,  much  of  the  soil  can  be  taken  along  with  the 
roots.  Immediately  on  lifting  the  roots  from  the  ground  they  should 
be  trimmed  with  a  sharp  knife  wherever  they  are  found  to  have  been 
bruised  or  broken.  The  lower  part  of  the  tap-root  also  should  be  cut 
off  to  prevent  its  doubling  up  on  being  reset.  Twelve  or  eighteen 
inches  is  sufficiently  long  for  the  tap-root.  Put  the  tree  under  shade 
and  cover  the  roots  with  wet  moss  as  soon  as  possible.  Do  not  allow 
the  fibrous  roots  to  dry,  as  they  are  very  delicate  and  soon  perish. 
Keep  them  protected  up  to  the  moment  of  setting,  taking  but  one  tree 
at  a  time  from  its  covering  of  moss.  To  insure  still  further  against 
damage  to  the  tender  roots,  have  on  hand  a  half  barrel  of  muck  made 
into  a  thin  paste  and  as  fast  as  the  trees  are  lifted  and  the  roots 
trimmed,  plunge  the  roots  into  this  paste,  take  them  out  and  wrap  in 

moss. 

The  holes  for  the  trees  should  be  freshly  dug.  The  work  of  set- 
ting is  easily  and  rapidly  done  by  three  hands  working  together — one  to 
dig  the  holes,  one  to  prune  and  set  the  tree,  and  a  third  to  fill  in.  The 
holes  should  be  dug  in  the  shape  of  an  inverted  saucer  or  truncated 
cone  with  about  two  inches  of  the  top  cut  off.  Proceed  thus :  Around 
the  stake  which  marks  the  place  for  the  tap-root,  with  a  shovel  or  hoe 
take  away  the  soil,  letting  the  tool  strike  the  top  of  the  soil  at  the 
stake  and  continue  to  dig  deeper  into  the  soil  until  at  a  distance  of 
eighteen  inches  from  the  stake  it  has  penetrated  six  inches  below  the 
surface.  Proceed  thus  around  the  stake  until  it  is  completed.  This 
gives  the  greatest  depth  of  the  hole  on  the  outer  edge,  or  perimeter  of 
the  circle.  Now  take  up  the  stake,  cut  two  inches  of  the  top  off  the 
cone.  Where  the  stake  stood,  push  down  the  spade  by  working  it 
back  and  forth  until  it  has  penetrated  the  ground  about  eighteen 
inches,  or  the  full  length  of  the  tap-root  of  the  tree  to  be  set.  Now 
insert  the  tap-root  in  this  hole  made  by  the  spade.  Be  careful  not  to 
set  the  tree  deeper  than  it  grew  in  the  nursery.  With  the  hand  pack 
the  soil  firmly  around  the  tap-root.  Next  spread  the  lateral  roots 
over  the  cone,  taking  care  to  distribute  them  evenly  over  the  cone. 
Throw  on  two  inc'hes  of  dirt  and  press  it  firmly  with  the  feet.  Finish 
by  throwing  in  soil  and  leveling  the  ground,  leaving  the  last  layer  of 
soil  untrod. 


37 

Before  the  tree  is  left  it  should  be  trimmed  with  shears  in  propor- 
tion to  the  trimming  done  to  the  roots. 

If  planting  is  done  in  Summer  or  in  hot  weather  and  the  ground 
is  not  protected  by  forest  trees  it  is  better  to  mulch. 

If  trees  are  older  than  three  years,  and  wild  grown,  it  may  be 
necessary  to  dig  the  holes  deeper  than  directed  above,  but  the  point 
of  this  caution  is  against  deep  setting.  The  writer  is  satisfied  that 
more  trees  have  been  diseased  and  retarded  in  their  growth  and  fre- 
quently killed,  by  deep  setting  than  by  any  other  one  cause. 


38 
CHAPTER  X. 

THE  DISTANCE  APART 

In  the  grove  that  trees  should  be  set,  depends  upon  the  character  of  the 
trees  to  be  set.  The  seedling  should  have  the  greatest  distance,  the 
gweet  seedling  budded  less,  and  the  sour  stock  budded  least  of  all. 

In  Europe,  where  budding  on  sour  stock  is  generally  practiced 
and  land  is  much  higher  than  in  this  country,  trees  are  set  much  closer 
than  is  the  custom  in  Florida.  In  the  former  country,  where  set  in  the 
open  ground,  they  are  frequently  put  as  close  as  ten  or  twelve  feet 
apart,  and  where  artificial  covering  during  the  winter  is  resorted  to, 
still  nearer.  But  in  Europe  orange  trees  never  grow  to  the  size  they 
attain  in  Florida.  In  some  of  the  old  groves  in  this  State  where  the 
trees  stand  forty  feet  apart  the  ground  is  completely  covered  by  the 
branches  of  trees  that  have  grown  up  since  1835.  Thirty  or  forty 
years,  however,  is  too  long  a  time  to  leave  the  land  uncovered. 
Trees  planted  nearer  together  will  soon  protect  each  other.  Twenty- 
one  feet  apart  is  a  good  distance  for  budded  trees  and  thirty  for 
seedlings. 

After  the  ground  has  been  cleared  off  for  the  grove,  stakes 
should  be  driven  where  the  tap-root  is  to  rest. 

Where  land  is  laid  off  in  squares  the  following  table  will  give  the 
number  of  trees  that  will  stand  on  an  acre: 

Distance  apart.  No.  of  trees  No.  of  treer> 

in  squares.  in  diamond. 

15x15 164 180 

18x18 114 125 

20x20 90 99 

21x21 81 89 

25x25 53 58 

30x30...  .  36...  .  39 


m 

CHAPTER  XL 

CULTIVATION. 

The  orange  will  live  with  almost  no  cultivation,  but  it  will  only  be 
a  sickly  existence.  I  know  no  plant,  shrub  or  tree,  that  will  pay 
better  for  good  cultivation ;  none,  that  will  respond  so  certainly  to 
thorough  cultivation. 

The  ground  in  the  grove  should  be  kept  level;  the  surface  light 
As  far  as  the  roots  have  extended  the  surface  should  not  be  stirred 
deeper  than  three  inches.  The  more  frequently  it  is  stirred  the  better. 
Beyond  the  reach  of  the  roots  it  is  well  to  cultivate  deep  and  frequently, 
but  as  the  roots  extend  themselves  this  area  of  deep  cultivation  should 
be  lessened.  After  the  roots  have  extended  themselves  well  over  the 
ground,  the  best  plow  to  be  used  is  the  sweep.  A  single  thirty-two 
inch  sweep,  or  a  gang  plow,  the  middle  or  front  plow  twenty-two  inches 
wide,  and  the  two  side  plows,  fourteen  inches  each,  does  excellent  work. 
It  is  better  than  the  turning  plow  or  cultivator.  The  sweep  is  much 
more  uniform  in  the  depth  of  its  cutting  than  either.  It  is  much  more 
rapid  in  its  work  than  the  single  plow.  It  is  more  apt  to  cut  off  the 
weeds  below  the  surface  and  destroy  them,  than  the  cultivator.  With 
such  an  implement,  u  grove  free  from  stumps  and  litter  is  easily  and 
cheaply  kept  in  fine  condition. 

While  the  orange  trees  are  young,  it  is  of  advantage  to  keep  the 
ground  planted  in  garden  crops — peas,  beans,  potatoes,  tomatoes,  any- 
thing that  requires  frequent  work  and  will  mature  within  a  few  weeks, 
partially  shading  the  ground.  Of  course  nothing  should  be  taken  from 
the  ground  without  making  adequate  return  in  the  form  of  manures. 
Suitable  fertilizers  will  be  noticed  in  a  separate  chapter. 

Where  the  trees  are  planted  far  apart  and  ten  or  twelve  years  will 
elapse  before  the  ground  will  be  all  occupied  by  the  orange,  grapes  and 
peaches  will  do  well  and  prove  profitable,  provided  the  soil  is  well 
("rained. 

At  no  time  should  the  roots  of  grass  and  weeds  be  allowed  to  mat 
themselves  on  land  growing  the  orange.  Not  only  will  they  draw 
heavily  upon  the  soil  while  they  are  growing,  but  when  turned  over  the 


40 

« 

turf  and  matted  roots  will  necessarily  leave  the  surface  very  irregular, 
causing  the  ground  to  dry  rapidly  under  the  influence  of  sun  and  wind. 
Some  have  advised  cultivation  to  cease  during  August  and  September, 
alleging  it  to  be  better  to  allow  the  weeds  and  grass  to  grow  after  these 
months  in  order  to  check  the  full  growth,  and  so  allow  the  wood  of  the 
orange  to  harden  as  to  resist  the  influence  of  frost  during  the  winter. 
But  the  writer  has  experimented  extensively  and  expensively — consider- 
ing results — with  the  above  policy,  and  where  others  were  pursuing  the 
same  policy,  he  has  advised  them  to  try  clean  culture  or  garden  crops 
on  a  part  of  the  grove,  and  in  every  instance  where  the  laud  has  been 
kept  thoroughly  cultivated  the  trees  have  doubled,  in  size  and  thrift, 
those  allowed  to  be  left  to  the  mercy  of  the  weeds  and  grass. 

Another  result  should  be  considered  in  this  connection.  Where 
grass  and  weeds  are  allowed  to  grow  in  the  grove  they  are  generally 
killed  by  the  frost  during  the  Fall  or  Winter.  In  this  condition  they 
absorb  and  part  with  moisture  very  readily,  absorbiug  moisture  when 
the  atmosphere  is  warmer  than  the  ground,  and  yielding  it  up  when 
the  atmosphere  is  cooler  than  the  ground  or  the  wind  is  blowing.  But 
to  part  with  moisture  is  to  part  with  heat  and  increase  the  cold.  In 
some  sections  of  Europe,  before  the  invention  of  ice  machines,  consid- 
erable ice  was  collected  stored  away  and  where  the  general  tempara- 
ture  was  only  40°.  The  freezing  was  induced  by  simply  covering  over 
lightly,  and  surrounding  the  ice  ponds  with  wet  straw.  The  wind 
passing  through  the  wet  straw  took  up  from  the  exposed  and  larger 
surface  of  the  straw  its  moisture  together  with  its  heat,  and  left  the 
water  to  freeze.  To  leave  any  dry  straw,  weeds  or  litter  on  the  ground 
during  the  winter,  only  intensifies  the  cold  and  invites  the  frost.  The 
writer  knows  of  several  beautiful  groves  that  were  entirely  frozen  down 
from  this  cause,  while  others  in  the  immediate  vicinity  were  unhurt. 
Mulching  during  the  winter  has  a  similar  effect.  In  this  immediate 
neighborhood  an  old  and  beautiful  orange  tree  was  heavily  mulched 
during  winter.  It  was  the  only  tree  hurt  by  the  frost  in  the  grove  that 
was  hurt  very  badly,  taking  two  or  three  years  to  recover.  While 
the  trees  are  young  keep  the  grove  clear  of  grass  and  weeds,  Summer 
and  Winter.  If  you  mulch  during  the  Summer,  bury  the  mulching 
as  the  Winter  approaches ;  dig  holes  and  bury  the  litter. 


41 

In  cultivating  the  grove  with  the  plow  there  is  a  constant  tendency 
of  the  soil  to  pile  up  around  the  trunk  of  the  tree.  This  should  be 
watched,  and  if  the  crown  of  the  lateral  surface  roots  is  a  half  inch 
below  the  surface,  from  this  or  from  deep  planting,  the  soil  should  be 
drawn  from  around  the  trunk  till  the  upper  sides  of  these  roots  are 
brought  to  the  top  of  the  ground.  If  the  upper  parts  of  these  roots 
are  left  bare,  for  one  or  two  inches,  where  trees  are  five  or  six  years 
old,  and  for  a  greater  distance  where  the  trees  are  older,  these  roots 
develop  very  rapidly  and  not  only  furnish  stout  braces  to  the  trunk, 
but  great  arteries  for  conveying  life  and  food  from  the  soil.  This 
point  is  so  little  understood  and  attended  to  by  many  cultivators,  that 
it  may  be  well  to  state  further.  This  development  of  the  crown  roots 
is  nature's  plan  when  it  is  not  interfered  with.  Whoever  will  visit 
and  examine  a  natural  forest,  whether  of  orange  or  other  trees,  will 
find  the  top  of  the  crown  roots  from  one  to  several  inches  above  the 
ground  and  running  in  many  instances,  as  great  braces,  well  up  the 
trunk  of  the  tree.  This  development  of  the  crown,  is  slow  at  first,  but 
increases  in  proportion  as  the  upper  surface  of  the  roots  lift  themselves 
above  the  surface  of  the  ground.  This  development  can  be  hastened 
by  taking  away  the  earth  from  above  the  roots  for  a  short  distance 
from  the  tree,  as  mentioned  above.  The  principle  is  the  same  as  that 
adopted  for  the  development  of  the  bulb  of  the  onion  by  taking  the 
earth  from  around  it.  The  root  of  the  plant,  being  more  porous  than 
the  stem,  parts  more  readily  with  its  moisture  at  the  point  where  it  is 
exposed,  and  hence  the  thickened  sap  lodges  more  readily  at  that  point, 
and  so  hardens  into  wood  and  increases  the  growth.  As  the  upward 
circulation  passes  only  through  the  new  or  sap  wood,  this  enlarged 
base  furnishes,  at  the  very  seat  of  life  and  strength,  new  and  increased 
capacity  to  the  tree. 


42 
CHAPTER  XII. 

FKUN1NG 

Is  universally  adopted  by  nature.  In  the  forest  all  the  branches  of 
the  little  oaks  and  pines  are  near  the  ground.  But  as  the  trees  grov- 
these  lower  branches  die  and  drop  off.  A  few  years  later  we  behold 
thousands  of  graceful,  well  trimmed  trunks.  Where  the  oak  grows  uj? 
in  the  open  field  its  method  is  to  prune  the  inner  branches  and  extend 
the  surface,  giving,  what  fruit  growers  call,  an  open  head.  The 
grape  vine  prunes  itself.  Where  its  branches  are  thickest  the  tendril-, 
first  strangle  and  then  cut  off  some  of  the  excessive  branches.  It  i- 
the  Divine  plan.  "  I  am  the  true  vine  and  my  father  is  the  husband- 
man. Every  branch  in  me  that  beareth  not  fruit  he  cutlet  h 
away;  and  every  branch  that  beareth  fruit  he  pruneth  it  that  it  may 
bear  more  fruit."  Wise  is  the  man  who  will  follow  such  teaching. 
Happy  is  the  man  who  has  a  taste  for  such  a  work  and  can  take  u\i 
the  vocation  first  taught  man  when  "  the  Lord  God  put  him  into  the 
garden  of  Eden  to  dress  it  and  to  keep  it;"  especially  where  he  cai. 
dress  a  garden  of  this  golden  fruit — a  relict  of  Eden — that  is  "plea-- 
ant  to  the  sight  and  good  for  food." 

It  may  be  said  "if  nature  prunes  at  all  let  her  do  it  all."  Ye* 
and  it  may  be  said,  "  If  nature  plants  and  grows  the  corn  at  all  why 
should  I  take  the  trouble  to  plant — and  cultivate?"  But  such  a  ma:. 
will  reap  little  more  than  the  harvest  of  his  folly  and  indolence.  Nature 
makes  suggestions,  but  does  not  propose  to  do  all  the  work  where  man'.', 
interest  is  especially  concerned.  Even  before  thorns  and  briar.-  haii 
sprung  up,  it  was  man's  duty,  and  to  his  interest  to  "  dress -the  garden" 
so  perfectly  planted.  Again,  where  nature  prunes,  knots  and  dead 
wood  often  become  the  starting  points  for  extensive  decay.  But  where 
a  living  bauch  is  cut  off,  with  a  sharp  knife,  from  a  vigorous  tree  the 
\vound  soon  heals  over,  leaving  no  scar  nor  injury. 

The  writer  has  practiced  on  a  grove  of  about  4,000  trees  all  the 
methods  of  pruning,  and  not  pruning,  to  satisfy  himself  as  to  the  best 
method.  Nor  has  has  he  spared  himself  the  trouble  of  visiting  many 
of  the  best  groves  in  the  State,  watching  the  operations,  of  others, 


43 

and  questioning  them  closely  as  to  their  practice  and  the  results.  He 
will  not  trouble  the  reader  with  the  many  theories  advanced,  much  less 
with  discussing  them.  A  feAv  essential  points  are  all  that  is  necessary 
to  be  attended  to. 

In  pruning,  the  sharper  the  knife  or  saw,  the  better.  Let  the  cut 
be  clean  and  smooth.  When  the  knife  is  used  it  is  better  to  cut  -up 
than  down ;  as  the  downward  cut  is  apt  to  split  the  wood  and  peal  off' 
the  bark.  Do  the  principal  pruning  in  the  Spring.  By  all  mean- 
avoid  Fall  or  Winter  pruning,  as  it  is  apt  to  start  new  wood  at  a  time 
when  it  is  most  exposed  to  damage  from  frost  Cut  oft*  all  dead  wood, 
and  up  to,  or  a  little  into  the  living  wood.  Thereby  the  wound  heals 
more  readily.  As  a  general  rule  cut  off  all  diseased  branches; 
especially  if  they  have  become  so  far  diseased  as  to  fail  to  develop 
healthy  leaves.  Do  not  trim  up  the  trunk  too  high.  Encourage  the 
lower  branches  to  extend  themselves  well  around  the  trunk  and  far 
over  the  surface  of  the  ground.  If  they  do  not  touch  the  ground  they 
are  not  too  low.  As  the  tree  grows  these  branches  will  continue  to. 
droop  nearer  the  ground  until  the  lowest  may  have  to  be  cut  off  after 
awhile ;  but  this  late  cutting  off  is  much  better  than  to  have  the  trunk 
exposed  either  to  sun  or  cold. 

Give  and  keep  an  open  head  to  the  tree.  To  do  this,  select  the 
most  vigorous  lateral  branches,  leaving  some  on  all  sides  of  the  tree  so 
as  to  obtain  a  head  as  uniformly  balanced  as  possible.  After  cutting 
off  the  other  branches  close  to  the  trunk,  trim  up  these  selected 
branches  almost  to  a  point  leaving  only  a  few  of  the  terminal,  smaller 
branches.  When  this  is  done,  the  tree  will  look  like  a  skele- 
ton and  you  will  likely  conclude  you  have  used  the  knife  too  freely. 
But  if  this  pruning  has  been  done  in  the  Spring  and  you  keep  the 
"water"  shoots  pulled  off  the  trunk,  and  cultivate  well,  you  will  find 
the  trunk  by  Winter  enclosed  by  a  beautiful  head  with  a  dense  wall  of 
foliage  on  the  outside.  The  next  Spring  trim  these  laterals  in  a  simi- 
lar manner,  allowing  the  first  laterals  to  rebranch  a  little  distance 
from  the  trunk  so  as  to  be  able  to  fill  up  the  larger  area  by  FalL 
Continue  this  method  till  your  tree  is  large  enough  to  bear  its  fir.-t 
crop.  You  can  then  slacken  your  pruning  so  as  to  encourage  the 
fruiting*. 


44 

There  are  several  advantages  arising  from  judicious  pruning. 
Whenever  a  branch  dies,  it  not  only  ceases  to  benefit  the  tree,  but 
becomes  a  drain  on  its  sap  and  vitality,  as  an  ulcer  to  the  human 
body.  The  same  is  true,  to  some  extent,  with  a  diseased  branch. 
Moreover,  as  a  branch  begins  to  die,  its  fermenting  sap  is  slowly  taken 
up  into  the  general  circulation,  and  so  the  disease  extends  itself  some- 
times to  the  entire  tree,  unless  it  be  cut  off  below  the  sound  wood.  This 
is  especially  the  case  when  the  frost  has  partially  killed  the  young 
wood.  The  writer  has  known  quite  vigorous  trees  to  be  killed,  not 
only  to  the  ground,  but  entirely,  by  neglect  at  this  point.  The  open 
head  not  only  gives  room  for  the  free  circulation  of  air  through  the 
branches,  but  also  enables  the  gardener  to  watch  the  trunk  and  larger 
branches  and  remove  from  them  insects  that  might  prove  damaging. 
Another  advantage  arising  from  the  open  head  is,  it  causes  the  lower 
branches  to  extend  themselves  far  out  from  the  trunk,  and  so  gives  a 
greater  bearing  capacity  to  the  tree.  Trees  in  the  grove  of  the  writer 
pruned  after  this  plan  have  doubled  within  two  years,  in  their  surface 
area,  others  standing  by  their  side  with  the  same  treatment,  except  that 
the  latter  were  not  pruned. 


45 
CHAPTER  XIII. 

FERTILIZING 

Has  never  been  sufficiently  appreciated  in  the  South.  Her  broad  acres 
have  always  tempted  to  planting  too  much  laud  and  using  too  little 
manure.  Somehow  when  Northern  men  come  South  they,  too,  yield  to 
the  temptation  and  fall  into  the  Southern  fashion.  And  yet  no  soil 
responds  more  readily  to  the  influence  of  manure  than  our  warm  South- 
ern soil.  The  manure  put  by  Peter  Henderson  on  a  single  acre  would 
be  deemed  by  some  Southern  farmers  ample  for  the  broad  fields  of  cotton 
stretching  around  his  decaying  mansion.  A  few  men  are  wiser ;  they  have 
ceased  to  fell  the  forest  for  more  land  and  are  contracting  the  planted 
area  of  the  old  land.  They  are  endeavoring  to  increase  their  crops  by 
manuring.  Such  men  have  succeeded  and  are  still  succeeding.  Some 
I  know  have  grown  rich  by  such  a  policy. 

No  crop  feeds  more  ravenously  than  the  orange,  and  none  will 
convert  so  large  amount  of  suitable  fertilizers  into  fruit  so  profitably. 
Much  of  our  Florida  land  will  produce  and  sustain  fine  trees  for  a  few 
years  without  the  aid  of  manure ;  but  after  some  years  of  fruiting  the  leaves 
will  begin  to  turn  yellow. and  the  fruit  to  rust,  indicating  a  deficiency  in 
the  soil.  Some  of  our  lands  considered  poorest — black-jack  ridges — 
in  the  vicinity  of  dwellings  grow  fine  trees  and  continue  to  sustain  fine 
crops  of  excellent  oranges.  But  these  trees  so  located  are  almost  daily 
replenished  with  accidental  deposits  of  nitrogenous  manures,  (theprinci- 
cipal  fertilizers  needed  on  black-jack  lands,)  as  well  as  considerable 
wood  ashes  and  soot  from  the  daily  fires  of  the  kitchen,  and  suds  from 
the  wash  tub.  The  flourishing  condition  of  these  trees  only  shows  the 
advantage  of  manures. 

It  is  not  safe  to  manure  trees  at  the  time  of  planting.  In 
some  instances  this  has  succeeded  very  well,  but  only  when 
the  manure  has  been  long  composted  and  frequently  turned,  so  that 
DO  fermentation  will  occur  around  the  wounded  roots.  When  manur- 
ing willbe  done  thus  early  it  is  better  to  scatter  it  on  the  ground  and 
turn  it  several  times  in  the  soil  some  weeks  before  the  tree  is  planted. 

After  the  tree  has  been  planted  and  once  started  to  grow  it  is  then 


4f> 

well  to  manure  it  heavily  till  it  begins  to  bear.  Begin  with  a  moderate 
quantity,  applying  nearer  the  outer  extremity  of  the  lateral  roots  and 
increase  the  quantity  every  year  and  enlarge  the  area  to  which  it  is 
applied.  When  garden  crops  are  planted,  scatter  the  manure  broad- 
cast. Aim  to  make  the  ground  rich,  rich  as  a  city  garden.  It 
will  pay  for  the  manure  and  cultivation  if  the  ground  be  planted  and 
well  cultivated  in  crops,  and  especially  if  planted  in  vegetables  where 
a  market  can  be  readily  reached.  There  are  several  advantages  de- 
rived trom  generous  manuring  when  the  trees  are  young;  not  only  is  the 
development  of  the  tree  hastened,  but  the  tree  is  less  liable  to  be 
attacked  by  some  of  the  insects,  and  when  attacked  is  better  enabled  to 
resist  their  ravages :  and  when'  in  vigorous  health,  but  is  not  making  new 
wood  during  Winter,  it  is  less  liable  to  be  damaged  by  the  influence  of 
frost.  To  prevent  this  last  named  evil,  the  tree  should  never  be  stimu- 
lated in  the  Fall  or  latter  part  of  the  Summer.  It  is  much  better  to 
manure  in  the  Spring.  Another  advantage  to  be  noted  is,  when  trees 
are  pushed  before  coming  into  bearing,  the  heavy  manuring  does  no 
damage  to  the  fruit.  After  trees  have  begun  to  bear  it  is  better  to 
manure  heavily  once  in  four  or  live  years.  Manuring  bearing  trees,  and 
especially  when  the  manuring  is  heavily  done,  has  a  tendency  to  make 
the  oranges  .split  and  drop  off  the  first  year  after  manuring;  and  even 
when  they  do  not  split,  the  fruit  for  the  first  year  is  not  so  sweet  and  i.s 
more  liable  to  rot  soon  after  picking.  To  insure  a  good  general  yield 
and  saleable  fruit  each  year  the  manuring  should  be  applied  alter- 
nately to  different  parts  of  the  grove,  laying  off  the  grove  into  four  or 
five  equal  parts  and  manuring  the  first  part  the  first  year,  the  second, 
the.  second  year,  tfcc. 

The  kind  of  fertilizer  to  be  used  depends  largely  upon  the  charac- 
ter of  the  soil.  If  the  land  planted  was  originally  heavily  set  in  hard 
wood  and  the  ashes  of  the  wood,  cut  in  clearing,  has  been  scattered  on 
the  ground,  it  is  more  than  likely  that  the  soil  for  a  few  years  will  have 
a  sufficiency  of  lime,  soda  and  potash.  In  that  case  nitrogenous  ma- 
nures will  be  needed.  But  if  all  the  hard  wood  has  been  taken  off 
the  land  and  no  ashes  left,  such  a  soil  will  likely  have  become  poor  in  cal- 
careous manures,  (as  the  readiness  with  which  the  pine  springs  up  in 
oui1  worn  hummock  lands  shows)  and  should  be  treated  as  the 


47 

pine  lands,  and  manures  applied,  containing  all  the  elements  of  vege- 
table life  used  by  the  roots. 

Some  of  the  commercial  manures  are  valuable  when  used  in  com- 
bination with  other  things,  but  none  of  them  contain  in  right  propor- 
tions all  the  elements  needed  for  the  orange.  The  writer  has  used  and 
>een  used  a  large  variety  of  these  fertilizers,  and  some  benefit  has  been 
derived  from  most  of  them.  From  others  no  advantage  has  been  dis- 
coverable. A  good.article  of  ground  bone,  where  the  oils  and  phos- 
phoric acid  have  not  been  too  generally  expelled  by  burning;  Peruvian 
^uauo,  and  potash,  both  the  nitrate  and  sulphate,  are  very  good  when 
Combined  with  muck.  These  are  especially  valuable  when  early  vegeta- 
bles are  to  be  grown  among  the  orange  trees,  as  they  highly  stimulate 
the  soil  and  hasten  forward  both  the  vegetables  and  orange  trees. 

Laud  plaster  should  be  especially  mentioned  as  beneficial  to  our 
Mindy  soil,  as  it  not  only  furnishes  an  important  element  to  the  soil, 
but,  in  the  absence  of  clay  in  most  of  our  soil,  furnishes  a  valuable 
ubsorber  and  retainer  of  the  volatile  manures  so  easily  expelled  by  our 
Abundance  of  sunshine.  The  writer  thinks  he  has  seen  another  advan- 
tage in  the  use  of  land  plaster  in  the  check  which  the  sulphur, 
Contained  in  the  plaster,  has  upon  some  of  the  insects  which  damage 
the  trees. 

Green  crops  turned  under  are  highly  beneficial  to  -young  trees. 
Rye,  oats,  and  barley  sown  in  the  Fall  and  turned  under  in  the  Spring 
:ind  followed  by  one  or  two  crops  of  cow  peas  during  the  Summer  help 
forward  a  grove  of  trees  wonderfully.  It  is  still  better  if  this  be 
accompanied  by  a  liberal  dressing  of  wood-ashes.  One  ton  to  the  acre 
is  not  too  much. 

Manures  from  the  stables,  cow-pens,  hennery  and  pig-sty,  indeed 
from  every  place  where  waste  is  deposited,  should  first  be  deodorized 
by  the  liberal  use  of  land  plaster  or  sulphate  rtf  iron — copperas — 
<ii  solved  in  water  and  composted  with  muck,  and  be  carfully  saved 
and  utilized.  As  they  are  highly  stimulating  they  should  be  com- 
posted with  three  or  four  times  the  quantity  of  muck,  and  frequently 
turned  before  using. 

But  of  all  the  manures,  that  which  is  cheapest  and  most  abundant 
is  the  muck  to  be  found  in  our  rivers,  creeks,  lakes  and  ponds.  A 


48 

good  article  of  muck  is  little  less  than  decomposed  vegetable  matter. 
Leaves,  wood,  weeds  and  grass  as  they  have  fallen  have  been  washed 
into  these  deposits  and  decomposed  under  water  so  slowly  and.  so 
excluded  from  the  atmosphere  that  they  have  lost  little  of  their  origi- 
nal elements.  Here  they  have  been  preserved  by  nature,  as  in  the 
crucible  of  the  chemist,  for  ages,  and  now  lie  in  rich  and  vast  deposits 
for  the  use  of  the  orange  grower.  Some  who  have  supposed  they  were 
using  muck  have  been  mistaken.  They  have  foun.d  a  black  sand  with 
a  little  vegetable  matter  with  it.  If  they  had  taken  a  little  of  it  and 
washed  it  they  would  have  found  little  else  than  sand,  and  some  of  itr 
that  of  a  brown  granular  appearance,  of  a  similar  nature  to  "hard 
pan."  Such  a  deposit  is  of  no  value,  and  that  containing  the  brown 
sand  actually  injurious  to  the  orange.  Some  who  have  used  this  kind 
of  material  have  failed  to  discover  any  benefit  and  have  cried  out 
against  all  muck.  But  the  time  has  passed  for  this.  Too  many  have 
used  muck  and  found  it  valuable  for  its  merits  to  remain  longer 
unknown.  "Where  this  deposit  is  close  to  the  grove  the  most  economi- 
cal way  to  use  it  is  to  haul  it  at  once  from  the  bed  and  spread  it 
broadcast  over  the  ground  and  plow  it  in.  It  should  not  be  allowed  to 
dry  in  the  sun,  as  it  then  becomes  lumpy.  If  turned  under  the 
surface  it  soon  incorporates  itself  with  the  soil.  After  it  is  applied 
and  turned  under  a  top  dressing  of  ashes  or  lime  would  prove  bene- 
ficial. If  the  deposit  is  some  distance  from  the  grove  it  is  more 
economical  to  throw  it  into  heaps  near  the  bed,  but  under  the  shade, 
and  still  better  to  add  a  little  lime  or  ashes  as  it  is  thrown  in  uniform 
layers.  The  pile  soon  heats  and  drys  out  leaving  the  muck  as  friable 
as  a  bed  of  sand.  It  is  then  very  light  and  easily  handled  and 
carted.  In  this  condition  it  can  be  used  in  almost  any  quantities ;  the 
only  danger  to  be  feared  from  excessive  use  is  in  piling  it  up  so  deep 
over  the  roots  as  to  smother  them  for  awhile.  And  yet  if  the  crown 
roots  are  kept  uncovered  the  surface  roots  soon  find  their  way  to  the 
muck  near  the  surface.  The  writer  has  had  the  orange  roots  to  pene- 
trate, for  several  inches  above  the  general  surface,  a  pile  of  muck  left 
for  a  few  weeks  near  a  tree. 

Before    trees    reach    the     bearing    state    they    should    be    fed 
with    nitrogenous    manures;   but    after    they    have    begun    to    bear 


49 

potash  and  kindred  manures  should  be  liberally  used.  Nitrogen- 
ous manures  encourage  the  development  of  new  wood  and  foliage, 
while  lime  and  potash  are  necessary  to  an  abundance  of  fruit. 

The  yellow  leaves  of  the  tree  indicate  a  deficiency  of  nitrogenous 
manures,  while  the  dark  green  leaves  show  an  abundance.  On  the 
other  hand  rust  on  fruit  shows  an  excess  of  nitrogenous  manures, 
and  the  writer  has  found  a  correction  of  this  in  using  the  slacked  lime, 
from  burned  oyster  shells  sown  broad  cast.  The  lime,  in  sowing, 
should  be  allowed  to  sift  lightly  through  the  branches  and  leaves  of 
the  tree.  It  should  be  applied  before  the  trees  bloom  and  when  the 
foliage  is  dry. 


50 
CHAPTER   XIV. 

SPECIES,   VARIETIES,    &C. 

Hitherto  no  mention  has  been  made  of  any  of  the  Citrus  family 
except  the  sweet  orange  and  the  wild  or  sour  orange — bigarade. 

The  methods  of  propagation  and  cultivation  of  all  the  family  are 
so  similar  that  no  difference  need  be  mentioned,  except  the  fact  that  the 
citron,  the  lime  and  the  lemon,  are  much  more  tender  than  the  orange 
and  need  to  be  planted  in  more  sheltered  places. 

Gallesio  recognizes  but  four  distinct  species  in  the  family:  the 
orange,  (sweet,)  the  bigarade,  (sour  orange,)  the  citron  and  the  lemon. 
He  justly  remarks  as  to  the  varieties:  "The  citrus  is  a  genus  whose 
species  are  greatly  disposed  to  blend  together,  and  whose  flower 
shows  great  facility  for  receiving  extraordinary  fecundation ;  it 
hence  offers  an  infinite  number  of  different  races  which  ornament  our 
gardens,  and  whose  vague  and  indefinite  names  fill  the  catalogues." 
Gray  remarks :  "The  species  or  varieties  are  much  confused  and  mixed." 
Reese  in  his  quotations  from  authorities  makes  a  similar  confession.  But 
if  the  species  and  varieties  are  so  confused  in  Europe,  where  the  classi- 
fication of  the  citrus  family  has  been  principally  discussed  and ,  where 
the  multiplication  of  varieties  has  been  somewhat  held  in  check  by  their 
method  of  propagating  the  orange,  mainly  by  graft  or  bud,  what  must 
be  "the  number  of  different  races"  which  are  to  be  found  in  Florida 
where  the  general  method  of  propagating  the  orange  is  from  seed  ? 

At  the  late  meeting  of  our  State  Fruit  Growers'  Association,  a  com- 
mittee was  charged  with  the  work  of  naming  our  best  marked  varie- 
ties. They  made  a  short  report  on  the  few  varieties  which  came  under 
their  observation.  But  their  work  is  not  complete,  nor  likely  to  be  for 
the  next  year  or  two.  They  are  competent  men,  but  their  task  is  end- 
less as  well  as  important.  Almost  every  community,  where  the  orange 
has  been  long  grown  from  seed,  has  some  excellent  and  well  marked 
variety.  Some  of  these  varieties  vary  greatly.  Some  ripen  early  and 
others  late.  Some  have  thick  tough  skins  with  finely  flavored  fruit 
and  well  adapted  to  shipping  a  long  distance,  while  others  are  of  such 
a  delicate  skin  and  pulp,  they  will  have  to  be  eaten  nearer  home. 


51 

Some  are  large  and  light  bearers,  while  others  are  small  and  heavy 
bearers. 

Many  varieties  differ  greatly  in  color,  from  the  pale  orange,  to  a 
reddish  orange  and  even  to  blood  color.  It  would  be  well  for  those 
who  intend  planting  budded  trees,  or  propose  budding  trees  now  grow- 
ing, to  select  the  most  excellent  kind,  whether  they  have  yet  been  hon- 
ored with  a  name  or  not,  as  it  is  the  quality  of  the  fruit  and  not  the 
name  which  is  needed.  The  name  and  classfication  will  come  in  time. 
Any  new  and  remarkably  good  varieties  ought  also  to  be  brought  to  the 
notice  of  the  state  committee,  above  named,  on  nomenclature.  These 
gentlemen  will  do  their  duty,  and  Florida  will  be  compelled  to  have 
her  own  nomenclature,  as  she  has  her  own  varieties. 

The  orange  of  Portugal  and  the  China  orange,  are  two  well  known 
varieties  in  Europe  and  are  frequently  seen  in  Florida,  but  have 
changed  somewhat  by  having  been  reproduced  from  seed. 

The  orange  of  Portugal,  or  common  sweet  orange,  is  a  tree  growing 
to  a  great  height  when  raised  from  seed.  Its  leaf  is  green,  having  a 
winged  petiole,  its  shoots  are  whitish,  its  flowers  entirely  white  and  very 
odorous,  though  not  equal  in  perfume  to  those  of  the  bigarade. 

Its  fruit  ordinarily  round,  is  sometimes  flattened,  sometimes  a  little 
oblong.  The  rind,  less  than  an  eighth  of  an  inch  in  thickness,  is  of  a 
reddish  yellow,  and  full  of  aroma ;  the  inner  skin  is  a  sallow  white, 
spongy  and  light.  The  sections,  nine  to  eleven  in  number,  contain  a 
sweet  juice,  very  refreshing  and  agreeable;  its  seeds  are  white  and 
oblong,  germinating  very  easily  and  reproducing  usually  the  species 
with  little  change.  There  is  a  variety  with  no  thorns;  it  is  the  race 
cultivated  mostly  by  grafting,  and  is  seen  in  all  countries  where  this 
method  of  propagation  is  followed.  In  places  wrhere  the  orange  is 
grown  from  seed,  it  is  rare  to  find  it  deprived  of  thorns. 

The  China  Orange  is  a  variety  excelling  all  others  in  the  perfection 
of  its  fruit,  of  which  the  juice  is  the  sweetest,  the  most  abundant,  and 
the  most  perfumed.  The  skin  is  always  smooth,  glossy,  and  so  thin  that 
one  can  scarce  detach  it  from  the  pulp.  This  is  characteristic  of  this 
variety. 

The  Red-Fruited  Orange  is  a  singular  variety.  Its  appearance,  its 
leaf,  its  flower,  are  all  exactly  like  the  common  orange.  Its  fruit  alone 
is, distinguished  by  a  color  of  blood,  which  develops  itself  gradually 
and  like  flakes.  When  the  fruit  begins  to  ripen  it  is  like  other  oranges; 
little  by  little,  spots  of  blood-color  appear  in  its  pulp ;  as  it  advances  to 
maturity,  these  enlarge,  becoming  deeper,  and  finally  embrace  all  the 
pulp  and  spread  to  the  skin,  which  is,  however,  but  rarely  covered  by 


52 

the  peculiar  color ;  yet  this  sometimes  occurs,  if  oranges  are  left  upon 
the  trees  after  the  month  of  May. 

This  orange  is  multiplied  only  by  grafts,  having  few  seeds,  and 
those  of  little  value.  This  is  a  proof  that  it  is  a  monster ;  if  it  were  the 
type  of  a  species  it  would  yield  more  seed  and  reproduce  itself  by  seed. 
Its  branches  are  without  thorns,  its  fruit  is  sweet,  but  less  so  than  the 
China  oranges,  and  it  has  thicker  skin. 

It  is  cultivated  largely  in  Malta  and  Provence.  In  Liguria,  it  is 
found  chiefly  among  amateurs  and  seedsmen. —  Gallesio. 

So  far  as  the  Florida  Fruit  Growers'  Association  has  determined, 
through  their  committee,  the  nomenclature  of  our  own  varieties  is  given 
below,  and  such  should  be  authority  among  the  growers  in  Florida. 

Citron —  Common. — Fruit  very  large ;  color  that  of  ordinary  lemon ; 
rind  and  pulp  white,  and  almost  tasteless ;  tree  vigorous. 

Orange  Citron. — Fruit  somewhat  cone  shaped,  more  pointed  than 
common  variety ;  color  that  of  an  ordinary  orange ;  rind  cream-colored ; 
pulp  yellowish;  rind  sweet  and  highly  aromatic;  fruit  possesses  less  bit- 
terness than  the  common  variety ;  tree  a  small,  stiff,  erect  grower.  For 
home  use  or  commercial  purposes  this  variety  is  in  general  cultivation. 

Tangierine  Orange — Synonyms,  Mandarin,  Kid  Glove,  Tomato 
Orange. — Size  medium;  much  flattened;  color  dark  orange;  broad,  ir- 
regular cavity,  with  stem  obliquely  inserted  and  surrounded  by  a 
knobbed  eminence ;  eye  set  in  a  large  depression  one  inch  wide  and 
five-sixteenths  deep;  longitudinal  diameter  two  and  a  half  inches;  trans- 
verse diameter  three  inches ;  skin  irregularly  ribbed  or  lobed ;  color  of 
flesh  very  dark  orange ;  pulp  adhering  to  skin  by  a  few  filaments ;  sec- 
tions of  pulp  easily  separated;  pulp  coarse;  juice  sweet  and  highy 
aromatic ;  aroma  marked ;  quality  first.  Tree  of  original  variety  intro- 
duced by  Major  Atway,  from  Bayou  Sara,  La.,  and  now  growing  in  the 
grove  of  Dr.  Moragne,  at  Palatka. 

Dancy's  Tangierine. — Size  small ;  much  flattened ;  color  deeper 
and  more  brilliant  than  parent  variety ;  longitudinal  diameter  one  and 
three-quarter  inches ;  transverse  diameter  two  and  one-quarter  inches ; 
the  eye  set  in  a  deep  cavity  seven-eighths  in  diameter;  stalk  straight 
and  inserted  in  a  ribbed  depression;  thickness  of  the  skin  three-six- 
teenths ;  general  properties  of  pulp  same  as  parent,  only  superior ;  fruit 
nearly  seedless.  In  flavor  and  external  appearance  this  variety  is 
superior  to  the  original.  Seminal  variety  of  the  Tangierine  raised  by 
Colonel  F.  L.  Dancy,  Buena  Vista,  St.  John's  county,  Fla. 

Citrus  Japonica — Synonym,  Dwarf  Orange. — Dwarf  growing 
variety ;  size  of  fruit  small ;  slightly  obovate ;  color  deep  orange ;  skin 
thin ;  eye  set  in  a  flattened  depression ;  fruit  regularly  ribbed  or  lobed ; 
longitudinal  diameter  two  inches;  transverse  diameter  one  inch  and 
seven-eighths;  color  of  flesh  dark;  grain  fine  and  tender;  juice  very 
acid.  Useless,  except  as  an  ornamental  fruit. 


53 

Navel  Orange — Synonyms,  Umbilical,  Bakia,  Pernambuco,  Seedless 
Orange,  Embiguo. — Size  large  to  very  large ;  eye  presenting  an  umbil- 
ical appearance  (from  which  it  obtains  its  name);  stem  inserted  in  a 
shallow-ribbed  cavity,  with  deep  lines;  skin  three-sixteenths  thick; 
longitudinal  diameter  three  and  five-eighths;  transverse  three  and 
three-quarters;  flesh  very  fine,  melting  and  tender;  juice  sweet, 
sprightly,  vinous  and  aromatic;  quality  first.  Origin,  Bahia,  Brazil. 

Citrus  Myrtifolia. — Myrtle-leaved  orange;  fruit  small  and  slightly 
flattened;  eye  set  in  flattened  depression;  leaves  like  those  of  the 
myrtle;  flavor  resembling  that  of  a  bitter-sweet.  Fruit  useless  for 
table. 

Sweet  Seville,  (Hicks'). — Size  small;  slightly  flattened;  color  com- 
paratively deep;  eye  small,  without  depression;  skin  very  smooth; 
thickness  of  skin  two-sixteenths;  longitudinal  diameter  two  inches; 
transverse  two  and  three-eighths;  color  darker  than  Navel  orange; 
foliage  differs  from  other  varieties  examined ;  leaves  markedly  obovate ; 
average  length  about  three  and  one-quarter  inches ;  width  about  two 
and  five-eighths;  grain  very  fine,  juicy  and  melting;  juice  very  sweet 
and  sprightly;  quality  best;  a  superior  fruit  in  every  respect  except 
size.  Supposed  to  be  a  seedling  raised  at  Arcadia,  St.  John's  county, 
Florida. 

Arcadia. — Size  large;  form  somewhat  flattened;  color  deep;  eye 
set  in  slight  depression ;  stalk  inserted  in  a  slight  roughened  cavity ; 
skin  smooth  with  marked  pits;  thickness  of  skin  three-sixteenths;  lon- 
gitudinal diameter  two  and  three-quarter  inches ;  transverse  diameter 
three  an  a  quarter  inches;  color  of  flesh  deep;  grain  coarse;  pulp 
melting;  juice  slightly  sub-acid;  quality  good.  Supposed  seedling 
raised  at  Arcadia,  and  introduced  bv  the  Rev.  William  Watkin 
Hicks. 

Bergamot. — Form  flattened,  with  projecting  nipple;  color  deep 
lemon ;  eye  absent,  and  its  place  occupied  by  a  nipple-like  projection ; 
stem  inserted  in  a  slight  depression ;  skin  two-sixteenths ;  longitudinal 
diameter  through  nipple  three  inches ;  transverse  three  inches ;  color  of 
pulp  nearly  white;  juice  sweet  and  watery  without  any  decided  flavor; 
rind  possesses  a  pear-like  fragrance,  from  which  perfumers  obtain  their 
bergamot  essences.  Only  worthy  of  cultivation  as  a  curiosity. 

Nonpareil. — Size  about  medium ;  somewhat  flattened ;  color  ordi- 
nary ;  eye  broad  and  set  in  a  slightly  depressed  cavity ;  stem  inserted 
in  a  level,  scarred  surface;  skin  three-sixteenths  thick;  longitudinal 
diameter  two  and  three-quarters  of  an  inch;  transverse  diameter  three* 
and  a  quarter ;  color  of  flesh  ordinary ;  grain  fine ;  pulp  melting  and 
tender;  juice  sub-acid  and  vinous;  quality  good.  Seedling  raised  by 
Mrs.  Mary  Richard,  Arlington  river,  Duval  county,  Florida. 

Magnum  Bonum. — Size  large  to  very  large;  flattened;  color  light- 
clear  orange;  eye  set  in  a  slight  cavity;  stem  inserted  in  a  narrow 
depression  ;  skin  smooth  and  glossy ;  thickness  of  skin  two-sixteenths ; 
longitudinal  three  inches,  and  the  transverse  three  and  five-eighths; 


54 

color  of  flesh  light;  grain  very  fine,  tender  and  melting;  fruit  very 
heavy  and  juicy;  juice  sweet,  rich  and  vinous;  quality  best.  Probably 
a  seedling  raised  at  Homosassa,  Fla.,  the  former  residence  of  the  Hon. 
Mr.  Yulee. 

Old  Vini. — Size  about  medium;  slightly  flattened;  color  dark 
orange;  eye  broad,  and  set  in  a  slight  cavity;  stem  inserted  in  a 
narrow  wrinkled  depression ;  surface  of  skin  rough  ;  thickness  of  skin 
three-sixteenths ;  longitudinal  diameter  two  and'  three-quarter  inches ; 
transverse  diameter  three  and  one-eighth ;  grain  coarse ;  pulp  melting  ; 
juice  sub-acid  and  remarkable  for  a  sprightly  vinous  property;  quality 
good.  Seedling  raised  by  Col.  Dancy,  Buena  Vista,  St.  Johns  county, 
Florida. 

Buena  Vista — Synonym,  Sweet  Seville. — Size  medium;  slightly 
flattened;  color  dark  crimsDn;  eye  set  in  a  slightly  depressed  cavity; 
stem  inserted  in  a  slight  depression;  skin  smooth,  with  deep  pits; 
thickness  of  skin  nearly  four-sixteenths;  longitudinal  diameter  two  and 
three-quarter  inches ;  transverse  three  inches ;  color  of  flesh  very  dark ; 
pulp  coarse,  but  melting;  juice  sub-acid;  sprightly  with  vinous  flavor; 
quality  good.  Seedling  raised  by  Colonel  Dancy. 

No.  3  (J5eac/iY). — Size  above  medium;  form  oblong;  color  light; 
eye  set  in  flattened  surface ;  stem  inserted  in  a  slight,  wrinkled  cavity  ; 
thickness  of  skin  three-sixteenths;  longitudinal  diameter  three  and 
three-eighths;  transverse  three  and  a  quarter  inches;  pulp  coarse,  not 
melting ;  juice  sub-acid ;  quality  fair. 

Osceola. — Size  large ;  slightly  flattened  ;  color  bright ;  skin  smooth 
and  glossy;  eye  very  small,  and  set  in  a  slight  cavity;  stem  inserted  in 
small,  shallow,  wrinkled  depression  ;  skin  three-sixteenths  thick ;  longi- 
tudinal diameter  three  inches;  transverse  three  and  a  quarter;  grain 
coarse;  pulp  rather  melting;  juice  sweet;  quality  good.  Seedling 
raised  by  L.  H.  Van  Pelt,  Mandarin,  Florida. 

Dixon  Orange. — Size  large;  somewhat  flattened;  color  light;  eye 
small,  inserted  in  a  slightly  depressed  cavity;  stem  inserted  in  deep, 
narrow  depression ;  thickness  of  skin  four-sixteenths  of  an  inch ;  longi- 
tudinal diameter  three  inches;  transverse  three  and  a  half;  grain 
coarse;  pulp  not  melting;  juice  sub-acid,  without  any  decided  flavor; 
quality  second.  Seedling  raised  on  Indian  river. 

Sweet  .Seville  (Tolman's). — Size  below  medium,  but  larger  than 
Hicks's  variety ;  form  flattened ;  color  light  orange ;  eye  large,  without 
any  cavity,  and  surrounded  by  a  dark  circle;  stem  inserted  without 
cavity;  skin  smooth  and  two-sixteenths  thick;  longitudinal  diameter 
two  and  a  quarter  inches ;  transverse  two  and  five-eighths ;  pulp  fine, 
melting,  juicy,  sweet;  inferior  quality  to  Hicks's  variety.  Origin,  Man- 
darin, Florida. 

Sweet  Lemon. — Size  very  small;  form  much  flattened;  color  rusty, 
greyish,  yellow ;  instead  of  eye  a  marked  nipple  set  in  a  deep  cavity ; 
stem  inserted  in  a  slight  depression;  thickness  of  skin  two-sixteenths; 
longitudinal  diameter  two  inches ;  transverse  two  and  one-eighth ;  color 


55 

of  flesh  dark  lemou;  grain  of  pulp  coarse;  juice  sweet  and  insipid, 
with  slight  lemon  flavor.     Curious,  but  unworthy  of  cultivation. 

The  Sicily  lemon  is  well  known  in  Florida  and  frequently  propa- 
gated both  from  seed  and  by  budding.  But  the  fruit  grown  here  is 
much  larger  than  the  imported  fruit.  It  decreases  in  size  as  the  tree 
increases  in  age. 

The  Messina  is  a  smaller  and  finer  fruit,  also  an  earlier  bearer 
and  smaller  tree.  It  is  generally  grown  in  South  Florida. 

"  The  lemon  of  Genoa  is  a  vigorous  tree,  which  will  also  extend 
itself  en  espalier  (on  a  trellis),  and  bears  an  abundance  of  fruit.  Its 
trunk,  branches,  leaf  and  flower  are  like  other  lemons.  It  has  no 
thorns,  and  blossoms  continuously  from  Spring  till  Fall.  The  fruit, 
usually  egg-shaped,  has  a  skin  a  little  thick — sometimes  smooth,  some- 
times uneven — and  an  abundance  of  sharp,  acid  juice.  It  is  very 
generally  cultivated  upon  the  coast  of  Liguria,  from  Spezzia  to 
Hyeres.  It  is  the  fruit  of  commerce  by  reason  of  its  thick  skin  pro- 
tecting it  in  its  transit.  It  is  multiplied  by  graft,  but  may  be  raised 
from  seed."  These  trees  (from  seed),  however,  will  nearly  always 
have  thorns.  This  variety  is  a  very  early  bearer  from  the  seed,  and 
said  to  be  of  first  quality. 


56 


CHAPTER    XV. 

THE    INSECTS  DAMAGING  THE  ORANGE  TREE.      THE  NATURAL  ENEMIES 
OF  SUCH  INSECTS  AND  THE  REMEDIES  TO  BE  APPLIED. 

But  few  insects  injurious  to  the  orange  tree  have  appeared,  but  their 
ravages  have  now  and  then  done  considerable  mischief,  and  awakened 
still  greater  apprehension.  The  insect,  which  at  one  time  was  consid- 
ei;ed  the  most  injurious,  was  the  long  scale  insect,  resembling  one  side 
of  a  distorted  muscle  shell,  and  was  called  by  Packard,  aspidiotus 
gloverii.  When  it  first  made  its  appearance  in  Florida,  it  threatened 
universal  destruction  of  the  orange  groves.  It  first  made  its  appear- 
ance at  Mandarin,  Florida,  about  twenty  years  ago,  to  which  place  it 
was  brought  on  some  China  orange  plants  freshly  imported  from  China. 
The  insect  is  very  diminutive,  and  under  a  glass  of  strong  power,  has 
the  appearance  of  a  white  louse.  It  is  very  quick  in  its  motions,  (its 
movements  resembling  those  of  the  chicken  rnite),  and  conceals  itself, 
during  the  presence  of  an  enemy,  under  the  scale  erected  for  the  shel- 
ter, first  of  the  egg  and  then  for  the  young  insect.  The  eggs  are  pur- 
ple and  laid  in  two  parallel  rows.  The  insect  when  hatched,  at  once 
begins  to  suck  the  sap — like  the  aphis — from  the  bark  and  leaf  of  the 
tree  wherever  the  scale  happens  to  be  fastened.  It  finally  develops 
into  a  diminutive  fly  undiscoverable  with  the  natural  eye,  except  when 
late  in  the  afternoon  they  can  be  seen  between  the  observer  and  the 
declining  sun  when  the  tree  infested  is  suddenly  jarred.  The  effect 
produced  by  their  sucking  is  first  to  deplete,  and  finally  to  exhaust  and 
kill  the  branch  and  leaf  to  which  they  cling.  Several  remedies  have 
been  found  effectual.  The  most  effective  yet  known  to  the  writer  is  a 
decoction  of  tobacco  with  sufficient  carbolic  soap  to  make  a  strong  suds. 
Apply  .with  a  garden  syringe  or  pump,  through  a  perforated  nozzle. 
Kerosene,  in  the  proportion  of  one  part  of  kerosene  to  eleven  of  water, 
applied  in  the  same  manner  is  effective.  But  there  is  danger  if  too 
much  be  used.  A  moderate  amount  is  a  good  fertilizer  and  stimulant 
to  the  tree  As  there  is  no  chemical  affinity  between  the  kerosene  and 
water,  the  mixture  has  to  be  kept  vigorously  stirred  during  the  time  of 
applying  it.  Either  of  these  applications  have  to  be  repeated  two  or 
three  times  at  intervals  of  ten  or  twelve  days. 


57 

Another  insect  similar  to  the  one  just  considered,  but  with  scale  of 
lighter  appearance  and  of  rounder  form,  is  also  damaging  to  the  trees. 
This  insect  seldom  attacks  either  the  leaves  or  the  tender  wood,  but 
confines  itself  mainly  to  the  bark  of  the  wood,  from  one  to  four  years 
old.  They  are  easily  and  effectively  removed  by  washing  the  trunks 
with  wood  ashes  and  water  in  the  proportion  of  one  quart  of  ashes  to 
three  gallons  of  water.  If  found  generally  on  the  tree  in  positions  not 
easily  reached  by  the  hand,  syringe  as  before  with  "  white  lye" — lye 
prepared  by  boiling  wood  ashes. 

A  most  formidable  enemy  to  both  these  insects  named,  has  ap- 
peared within  the  last  two  years  in  the  grove  of  the  writer.  It  is  a 
lady  bug  with  a  single  red  spot  on  each  wing  case.  In  both  the  pupa 
and  perfect  state  it  is  ever  busy  devouring  these  insects.  Of'course 
they  are  allowed  full  freedom  of  the  grove,  and  are  increasing  very 
rapidly. 

Another  enemy,  noticed  for  the  first  time  and  during  the  present 
year  in  the  grove  of  the  writer,  of  the  long  scale  insect,  has  ap- 
peared in  the  form  of  a  small  hang  or  basket  worm  "  named  by  Mr.  Pack- 
ard, (as  the  writer  has  been  informed  through  the  entomological  depart- 
ment of  the  Agricultural  Department,)  Platoecitus  Gloverii,"  but  later 
named  Psyche  Confederata.  The  female  remains  in  her  case  and  devours 
the  insects  enclosed  under  her  web.  The  male  is  a  small  dark  colored 
moth.  These  insects  are  not  a  very  formidable  enemy  to  the  scale,  as 
the  female  confines  herself  closely  in  her  operations  under  her  web. 
But  some  small  trees  have  been  entirely  rid  of  insects  by  their  help. 
But  if  "  these  insects,"  as  the  entomologist  of  the  Agricultural  Depart- 
ment writes,  "  in  their  habits  resemble  the  basket  or  drop  worm  of  the 
North,"  they  might  prove  an  enemy  to  the  orange  tree  as  well  as  to 
the  scale  insect,  and  if  so  should  not  be  encouraged. 

Another  insect  resembling,  when  young,  fine  corn  meal  dusted  over 
the  tree,  but  when  the  case,  in  which  the  insects  are  enclosed,  is  full 
grown,  it  resembles  the  small  barnacles  clinging  to  the  wharf  built  in 
saltwater.  AVhen  these  cases  are  turned  -over  and  examined  with  a 
glass,  they  disclose  under  each  a  multitude  of  small  insects  resembling- 
lice.  They  do  not  exhaust  trees  so  rapidly  as  the  scale  insect,  but 
their  presence  is  damaging.  The  leaves  of  the  trees  infested,  after 


58 

awhile  change  to  a  dark  sooty  appearance,  and  the  tree  does  not  grow 
so  rapidly. 

An  enemy  to  this  insect  also  has  appeared.  I  am  informed  by 
the  entomologist  of  the  Agricutural  Department  to  whom  I  sent  speci- 
mens of  this"  and  the  other  insects  mentioned,  that  the  "insect  is  the 
Evagoras  Rubidus  which  destroys  the  plant  lice  on  the  cotton  and 
orange,  at  least  I  have  found  it  in  the  act  of  sucking  out  the  juice  of  a 
plant  louse."  As  I  finished  the  above  sentence  I  laid  my  pen  down  to 
go  out  and  capture  some  of  these  insects  that  I  might  give  a  more 
accurate  description,  and  found  a  full  grown  insect  which  had  just 
pierced  with  his  proboscis  a  full  grown  house  fly.  He  continued  his 
feast  for  a  few  moments  as  I  watched,  and  when  frightened  retreated 
carrying  his  prey  with  him.  This  insect  when  young  resembles  a  red 
spider.  As  it  increases  in  size  it  changes  to  a  salmon  color  with  white 
spots.  When  half  grown,  or  about  one-half  inch  in  length,  two  small 
black  wings  are  visible.  When  full  grown,  or  three-fourths  of  an  inch 
in  length,  two  pairs  of  wings  show  themselves,  the  smaller  or  under 
pair  black,  the  upper  pair  black,  with  salmon  colored  marking  on  the 
forward  halves  of  the  wings.  When  fully  grown  the  insect  is  ready 
for  flight  and  is  very  active.  When  young  it  is  very  busy  feeding 
upon  small  insects,  when  grown  it  seeks  for  larger  prey.  Since  writing 
the  above  I  find  a  description  of  the  above  insect  in  Agricultural 
Report  of  1875,  page  131. 

The  wood  lice,  or  white  ant,  has  occasioned  serious  trouble,  and 
sometimes  death  to  many  fine  young  trees  where  the  preventive  was 
not  used — ashes  or  slacked  lime  around  the  base  of  the  trunk.  When 
a  tree  begins  suddenly  to  show  yellow  leaves  examine  a  few  inches 
below  the  surface  at  the  base  of  the  trunk  for  wood  lice,  especially  if 
a  stake  has  been  driven  near  the  tree  for  its  support,  or  if  litter  from 
the  forest  or  mulching  of  leaves  has  been  used.  If  wood  lice  are  dis- 
covered clear  them  away  carefully,  pour  boiling  water  into  the  cavity 
around  the  tree  until  all  the  cavities  in  which  the  lice  could  have 
concealed  themselves  have  been  reached.  If  the  tree  has  been  but 
partially  girdled  it  will  recover,  if  the  soil  be  placed  above  the 
wounded  part.  But  if  the  tree  has  been  completely  girdled,  get  well 
rotted  muck  and  pile  it  for  three  or  four  inches  above  the  wound,  and 


59 

cover  over  with  sand.  Finish  with  a  top  dressing  of  fresh  wood  ashes  or 
slacked  lime.  If  the  tree  is  not  too  far  spent  it  will  send  out  young 
roots  above  the  wound  and  finally  recover. 

Two  other  insects  damaging  to  orange  trees  are  to  be  noticed, 
These  insects  are  very  dissimilar  in  appearance,  but  the  injury  done  by 
them  very  similar.  One  insect  is  a  spider  with  a  long  slender  body. 
When  at  rest  its  fore  legs  extend  forward  and  the  hind  legs  backward 
and  all  parallel  with  the  body  which  clings  closely  to  the  branch  or 
leaf  on  which  the  insect  rests.  In  this  position  it  would  frequently  be 
taken  for  a  piece  of  moss  or  a  rusty  place  on  the  bark.  It  is  so  very 
timid  that  it  at  once  attempts  to  conceal  itself  in  this  crouching  posi- 
tion on  the  approach  of  any  person.  This  position  not  only  enables  it 
often  to  elude  observation  but  generally  to  escape  suspicion.  I  have 
watched  it  closely  for  two  years  and  was  very  slow  to  believe  that  a  so 
innocent  looking. thing  could  have  done  the  damage  universally  found 
in  its  immediate  presence.  But  I  am  fully  satisfied  that  it  is  the  cause 
of  one  of  the  forms  of  the  disease  known  as  the  die-back.  Early  in 
the  morning  the  insect  is  usually  found  on  the  tenderest  shoots  of  the 
orange,  and  wherever  found  the  indications  are  the  same.  If  the 
s^hoot  is  very  young  and  tender  it  begins  at  once  to  lose  its  freshness  and 
ceases  to  grow,  a  little  later  it  assumes  a  rusty  appearance  and  finally 
dies.  If  the  shoot  is  a  little  older  when  attacked  or  if  the  insect  has 
moved  lower  down  after  exhausting  the  extremity  of  the  shoot  and 
attacks  the  stronger  wood,  a  blister  appears  on  the  bark,  and  if  exam- 
ined, a  collection  of  sap  is  found  just  under  the  puncture  made  by  the 
insect,  and  between  the  bark  and  the  wood.  The  sap  soon  hardens 
into  a  gum.  If  the  sap  is  flowing  very  vigorously  at  the  time  the 
bark  is  punctured,  a  little  sap  flows  from  the  puncture  and  hardens 
into  gum.  The  branch  is  evidently  poisoned  by  their  operations,  and 
frequently  dies  down  to  the  wood  of  the  previous  growth.  If  the  tree 
is  abandoned  to  the  insect  the  young  wood  is  soon  all  killed.  The 
young  roots  die  with  their  corresponding  shoots  and  the  tree  is  greatly 
enfeebled.  The  tree  makes,  however,  a  desperate  effort  to  recover,  and 
starts  from  almost  every  leaf  a  new  shoot.  It  is  what  the  insects 
desire  and  they  now  begin  to  assail  these  young  shoots  in  the  bud. 
When  attacked  thus  early  they  at  once  die  and  the  bark  of  the 


60 

tree  begins  to  assume  a  rusty  appearance,  the  disease  showing  itself  at 
the  points  where  the  young  shoots  made  effort  to  break  through  the 
bark.  I  have  never  known  a  tree  killed  by  the  ravages  of  this  insect, 
but  it  is  useless  so  long  as  it  is  left  to  them.  I  know  no  natural  enemy 
to  this  insect. 

The  one  other  insect  to  be  noticed  resembles  the  squash  bug,  and 
is  called  by  the  entomologist  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture 
Euthoctha  Galeator.  This  insect  is  very  bold  in  its  attack.  I  have 
watched  them  frequently  in  their  operations  as  they  were  lying  in  the 
hot  sun  basking,  while  their  probosces  were  inserted  in  the  tender 
shoots.  I  have  held  my  magnifying  glass  within  a  half  or  three- 
quarters  of  an  inch  from  them  and  had  the  finest  opportunity  of 
observing  the  operations  of  this  bold  enemy  of  the  orange.  I  have 
seen  the  tenderer  shoots  wilt,  when  the  insect  was  sucking  them,  from 
the  extremity  to  the  point  at  which  this  insect  had  inserted  its  probos- 
cis. As  this  insect  is  larger  than  the  spider,  the  injury  inflicted  by  it 
is  much  more  speedy.  But  when  the  shoot  is  older  and  more  vigorous 
the  effect  is  very  similar  to  that  produced  by  the  spider.  Both  these 
insects  are  more  apt  to  attack  trees  starting  young  shoots  at  periods  of 
the  year  when  the  grove  is  not  generally  making  new  wood.  As  they 
cannot  pierce  the  old  wood  they  seek  for  the  tenderest.  This  accounts 
for  the  impression  that  stimulating  or  forcing  a  tree  produces  the  die- 
back. 

The  Euthoctha  Galeator  is  fond  of  concealing  itself  under  litter  of 
any  kind  during  the  night  or  cold  weather.  Mulching  around  a  tree 
is  an  attractive  covert  from  which  they  start  forth,  when  the  sun 
begins  to  shine  warmly,  to  the  nearest  tender  branch.  This  has  caused 
others  to  conclude  that  mulching  was  the  cause  of  die-back.  But  so 
far  as  the  observation  of  the  writer  has  extended  the  insects  above 
mentioned  are  the  main  cause  of  this  troublesome  disease. 

There  is  another  form  of  this  disease  arising  from  an  entirely  dif- 
ferent cause,  to  be  noticed  in  the  next  chapter.  As  no  natural  enemies 
to  either  of  these  insects  are  known,  watchfulness  on  the  part  of  the 
orange  grower  is  alone  to  be  relied  upon  for  their  destruction.  They 
should  be  caught  by  hand  or  in  a  net  and  killed.  The  insect  last 
described  is  very  apt  to  conceal  itself  under  litter  during  the  winter. 


61 

Pieces  of  bark,  boards,  logs,  stumps,  litter  of  every  kind  oifer  them 
shelter.  In  early  Spring  when  the  weather  is  cold  everything  of  the 
kind  in  the  vicinity  of  the  orange  grove  infested,  should  be  burned. 
The  insect  is  very  fond  of  sucking  the  cow-pea,  and  lays  its  eggs  near 
its  field  of  operation,  often  on  the  under  side  of  the  leaf  of  the  plant 
on  which  it  feeds.  If  the  orange  grower  will  grow  cow-peas  in  his 
grove  and  bury  them  in  trenches  or  holes  dug  at  the  extremity  of  the 
orange  roots,  a  few  days  after  these  insects  have  commenced  to  feed 
upon  the  peas,  he  can  destroy  them  at  a  most  important  time.  Both 
these  plans  were  adopted  by  the  writer  during  the  present  year  and 
his  grove  is  now  quite  clear  of  this  pest. 

When  trees  have  been  damaged  seriously  by  either  of  these  insects 
the  knife  and  saw  must  be  freely  used.  Cut  away  all  diseased  wood. 
Let  the  cutting  be  so  heavy  that  the  tree  will  start  strong  shoots. 
Watch  these  young  shoots  carefully,  in  the  early  morning,  for  the 
spider,  and  when  the  sun  is  warm,  for  the  bug  resembling  the  squash 
bug.  Kill  all  that  make  their  appearance.  If  the  extremity  of  the 
shoots  have  been  stung  pinch  them  back.  They  cannot  be  saved  if 
the  wood  is  very  tender.  If  blisters  appear  in  the  harder  wood  punc- 
ture them  with  a  knife.  It  will  relieve  the  wood  which  will  readily 
heal  and  the  branch  will  soon  recover  its  vigor. 

The  writer  has  allowed  some  trees  to  go  almost  to  the  last  extrem- 
ity and  brought  them  out  by  following  the  above  plan. 


62 
CHAPTER  XVI. 

DISEASES  TO  WHICH  THE  ORANGE  TREE  AND     FRUIT  ARE  LIABLE,  AND 
THIER  REMEDIES. 

Few  fruit  trees  are  less  liable  to  disease  than  the  orange,  but  the 
fruit  and  trees  are  so  valuable  that  no  enemy  should  be  allowed  to 
attack  them  unopposed.  Perhaps  the  most  formidable  disease  which 
has  yet  made  its  appearance  is  the  "die-back."  Two  causes  producing 
this  disease  have  already  been  noticed  in  a  preceding  chapter.  The 
name  "die-back"  is  a  general  term,  used  for  want  of  a  better  and 
more  specific  name  or  names,  for  at  least  two  diseases  arising  from 
three  and  perhaps  four  different  causes.  But  as  it  is  descriptive  of  the 
symptoms  of  one  or  more  diseases  arising  from  several  different  causes, 
its  meaning  is  readily  comprehended.  The  symptom  is  the  dying 
back  of  the  new  wood  to  the  old.  It  is  sometimes  confined  to  a  few 
branches  of  the  tree.  When  this  is  the  case  the  inference  is  that  it  is 
caused  solely  from  the  sting  of  an  insect.  If,  however,  the  symptom  is 
general  to  the  young  branches  and  they  come  forth,  feeble  and  yellow 
with  no  marks  of  stings,  the  cause  may  originate  near  the  roots. 

Deep  planting  will  produce  such  symptoms.  Trees  do  not  depend 
solely  upon  their  leaves  for  the  supply  of  carbonic  acid.  The  roots 
gather  a  very  considerable  part  of  this  gas,  so  essential  to  plant  life, 
not  in  a  pure  state,  as  is  done  by  the  leaf,  but  in  chemical  combination 
with  other  elements.  This  is  the  case  especially  with  trees  which  have 
very  yellow  roots.  Such  trees  send  their  roots  either  into  a  very 
porous  soil  easily  penetrated  by  the  air,  or  else  send  them  near  the  sur- 
face, where  they  find  a  greater  abundance  of  air,  which  decomposes 
manure  and  is  essential  to  the  formation  of  carbonic  acid.  Such  is  the 
case  with  the  orange  tree  and  roots.  If  the  tree  is  planted  too  deep  or 
the  crust  on  the  top  of  the  soil  has  become  very  compact,  these  roots, 
dependent  upon  air  for  health  and  ability  to  perform  their  functions, 
are  virtually  smothered.  They  make  an  effort  to  grow,  but  as  often  as 
they  form  rootlets  and  roothairs,  these  die  and  convey  no  nutriment 
for  the  formation  of  the  woody  structure  of  young  shoots,  so  the  new 
and  tender  cells,  which  are  but  the  frame  work  of  the  plant,  perish  for 
want  of  support.  And  hence  the  light  cellular  structure  in  the  forms 


63 

of  young  shoots  die  back  as  certainly  as  if  they  had  been  cut  from  the 
older  wood.  I  have  occasionally  dug  up  trees  so  afflicted  and  found 
them  wanting  in  new  roots.  The  remedy  is  to  reset,  or  else  take  away 
the  top  soil  till  the  lateral  roots  are  brought  near  the  surface  and  to 
keep  the  soil  well  cultivated.  The  better  plan  is  to  take  them  up  and 
reset  them.  Cut  away  all  diseased  wood  and  roots.  When  the 
extremities  of  roots  of  trees  come  in  contact  with  poisonous  earth  a 
similar  symptom  is  produced,  as  in  planting  upon  hard-pan  or  over  a 
stratum  of  salt  earth. 

Rust  on  the  orange  (fijjuit •)  has  been  a  considerable  cause  of  annoy- 
ance to  some  growers,  because  it  mars  the  beauty  of  the  fruit,  though  it 
does  not  affect  its  sweetness,  nor  its  flavor.  It  is  a  disease  confined 
exclusively  to  the  outer  skin.  Whether  it  is  a  true  rust  or  is  simply  an 
absence  of  the  essential  oil  so  abundant  in  the  peel  of  the  yellow  fruit, 
the  writer  is  not  fully  satisfied  though  inclining  to  the  latter  opinion. 
Fruit  so  affected  has  one  advantage.  It  keeps  longer  than  that  envel- 
oped in  the  lighter  and  more  oily  skin.  The  writer  has  had  no  diffi- 
culty in  removing  this  disease.  At  different  times  and  on  different 
trees  he  has  changed,  in  a  single  year,  the  color  of  the  fruit  from  a 
dark-brown  to  a  bright-yellow  and  smooth  skin,  by  the  application  of 
slacked  lime,  from  oyster  shells,  as  before  noticed.  Whether  the  lime 
acts  as  a  corrective  of  a  disease,  or  whether  its  presence  was  needed 
in  the  soil  for  the  perfecting  of  the  fruit,  or  whether  it  absorbed 
carbonic  acid  and  so  furnished  the  additional  amount  of  carbon  nec- 
essary for  the  manufacture  of  the  essential  oil  by  the  tree,  the  writer 
knows  not.  But  the  fact  of  benefit  is  not  doubted. 

Where  moss  appears  on  the  trunks  of  trees,  it  is  easily  removed 
by  any  alkali  wash.  Soap  suds,  or  what  is  better,  wood  ashes,  will 
both  fertilize  and  cleanse. 

The  cracking  of  the  fruit  is  occasioned  by  any  suspension  of  the 
growth  of  the  fruit,  and  a  consequent  hardening  of  the  rind  followed  by 
a  sudden  flow  of  sap  from  any  stimulating  cause,  as  highly  fertilizing 
a  bearing  grove,  especially  during  Summer,  or  a  wet  spell  following  a 
dry.  This  cracking  is  more  apt  to  follow  the  rains,  if  trees  have  been 
highly  manured  even  in  Winter.  This  can  be  prevented  by  keeping 
the  ground  well  stirred  during  dry  weather.  The  soil  thus  stirred, 
absorbs  moisture  and  keeps  the  fruit  growing. 


64 
CHAPTER  XVII. 

GATHERING,  PACKING  AND  SHIPPING  THE  ORANGE. 

In  Europe  these  branches  of  the  business  belong  to  the  merchant, 
and  are  studied  as  an  art.  The  merchant  buys  the  fruit  on  the  trees 
either  in  bulk  or  by  the  thousand,  counting  1040  as  an  M.  But  in  this 
country,  and  especially  thus  early  in  the  history  of  orange  growing,  it 
is  well  for  the  grower  to  understand  this  part  of  his  business  so  well 
that  he  can  gather,  pack  and  ship  his  own  fruit  without  being  left  to 
the  mercy  of  speculators,  many  of  whom  are  concerned  only  so  far  as 
they  may  get  the  greater  part  of  the  profits.  Ignorance  of  these 
things  has  already  occasioned  large  annual  loss  both  to  the  producer 
and  buyer.  The  oranges  from  many  groves  have  generally  been 
pulled  off,  the  rinds  of  many  torn  in  gathering  them  from  the  tree 
and  these  oranges  piled  into  a  boat  or  cart  and  offered  in  bulk  upon 
the  streets  or  in  the  markets  for  sale.  They  have  never  been  cured  nor 
assorted.  They  are  in  no  condition  to  be  shipped.  They  cannot  be 
long  kept  in  such  condition.  The  huckster  or  buyer  sees  this,  takes 
advantage  of  circumstances,  sometimes  combining  with  others  of  his 
class  to  put  down  the  price,  picks  out  the  most  indifferent  fruit  and 
offers  for  the  whole  a  price  based  upon  this  inferior  sample.  So  far 
as  the  producer  is  concerned  the  fruit  is  sacrificed,  and  especially  if 
the  market  be  full.  The  grower  should  never  put  himself  at  the 
mercy  of  such  men,  for  even  the  tender  mercies  of  such  men  are 
cruel.  If  the  grower  will  so  gather,  assort  and  pack  his  fruit  that  it 
will  keep  for  weeks  or  for  months,  as  may  be  done,  he  need  not  be 
driven  to  such  sacrifices. 

As  the  fruit  of  a  grove  begins  to  ripen,  let  the  gardener  pass 
through  and  taking  tree  by  tree  take  from-  it  all  fruit  that  shows  such 
defects  as  will  lead  him  to  conclude  that  it  will  never  come  to  perfec- 
tion. Let  him  gather  all  specked  fruit.  This  can  be  done  week  after 
week,  always  sleeting  the  ripest  of  such  fruit.  As  such  is  the  first  to 
ripen  there  is  always  a  market  for  it,  and  rightly  managed,  at  a  paying 
price.  If  such  fruit  is  allowed  to  remain  on  the  tree  it  will  get  no 
better,  and  its  presence  will  damage  the  fruit  which  should  remain 


65 

longer  on  the  tree.  Before  the  better  oranges  begin  to  ripen  the  gar- 
dener should  be  well  acquainted  with  the  quality  of  the  fruit  of  each 
tree  so  that  he  can  classify  them  according  to  quality  of  flavor,  from 
the  acid  to  the  sweet,  from  the  dry  to  the  juicy  and  various  varieties. 
In  gathering  cut  the  stem,  leaving  half  an  inch  of  stem  on  the  orange. 
Place  the  different  varieties  in  heaps  to  themselves.  Cover  lightly 
with  straw  for  three  or  four  days,  the  longer  time  during  cold  weather 
and  the  shorter  time  during  warm  weather,  that  the  oranges  may 
sweat.  After  this  time  place  them  in  latticed  bins,  holding  from  one  to 
two  hundred  oranges  each,  to  dry.  In  putting  them  into  bins  assort 
them  with  reference  to  size,  color  and  perfection,  so  that  the  classi- 
fication may  be  complete.  They  can  now  be  packed  at  leisure,  for 
after  they  have  been  dried  out  without  being  bruised  they  will  keep 
indefinitely. 

The  boxes  for  packing  should  be  of  light  material,  neatly  made, 
tolerably  close  and  hooped.  Dimensions  8x16x27  with  partition  in 
the  middle.  In  making  these  one  side  should  be  left  open.  In  pack- 
ing the  open  side  should  be  turned  up,  and  the  box  lined  with  sheets  of 
paper  laid  on  the  bottom  and  resting  against  the  side.  Each  orange 
should  be  wrapped  separately  in  tissue  paper  containing  as  little  oil  as 
possible  so  that  it  will  readily  absorb  and  throw  off  moisture.  The 
wrapper  should  be  careful  to  reject  every  bruised  or  otherwise  injured 
orange.  The  packer  should  be  careful  not  to  put  different  varieties  in 
the  same  box.  The  buyer  should  know  when  he  has  tasted  any  orange 
from  a  box  or  brand  that  all  others  of  the  same  brand  or  box  are  its 
equal.  In  packing,  the  oranges  should  be  placed  closely  together  in 
layers,  so  that  there  can  be  no  rolling  or  sliding  of  the  fruit  in  the 
box.  The  last  layer  should  project  three-fourths  of  an  inch  above  the 
sides  of  the  box  so  that  the  top  when  nailed  on  should  hold  the  layers 
firmly  to  their  places,  even  after  ihefe  has  been  some  shrinkage  of  the 
fruit.  This  is  all-important  when  the  fruit  is  to  be  transported  a  con- 
siderable distance;  and  especially  when  transported  by  rail.  The  box 
should  now  be  marked  with  the  number  of  oranges  and  the  brand  of 
the  fruit. 

In  shipping,  water  transportation  should  be  preferred  to  rail, 
especially  during  the  first  part  of  the  trip,  as  such  transportation  is  not 


66 

so  apt  to  jar  and  rub  the  fruit  as  rail.  When  the  producer  knows  a 
responsible  merchant  who  will  buy  his  fruit  and  sell  it  by  retail,  it  is 
better  for  him  to  make  the  arrangement  with  him  to  furnish  him 
oranges  at  a  stipulated  price  for  each  brand  throughout  the  season.  It 
will  lessen  the  expense  of  a  commission  to  a  third  party ;  besides  com- 
mission merchants  as  a  class  have  not  dealt  fairly  with  the  Florida 
fruit  and  vegetable  grower.  Bad  packing,  poor  transportation  and 
dishonest  commission  merchants  have  done  more  to  keep  back  the 
progress  of  Florida  and  discourage  fruit  and  vegetable  growing  than 
any  other  three  causes  combined.  And  of  the  three  the  dishonest 
commission  merchant  has  made  himself  the  largest  but  the  lowest  of 
these  evils.  There  are  some  honorable  exceptions,  and  such  should  be 
liberally  patronized.  But  it  is  a  vocation  offering  such  opportunities 
for  rascality  and  such  bribes  for  dishonesty,  it  would  be  well  for  the 
producer  to  be  cautious  as  to  whom  he  makes  consignments. 

It  is  very  much  to  be  regretted  that  our  mill  men  have  been  so 
slow  to  furnish  suitable  material  for  orange  boxes.  A  great  neglect  at 
this  point  has  caused  some  of  our  largest  and  wisest  shippers  to  buy 
the  material  for  their  boxes  in  Maine  and  ship  it  to  Florida;  one  party 
ordering  a  schooner  cargo  at  one  time.  There  is  no  necessity  for  this 
if  the  mill  men  will  do  a  duty  even  to  themselves.  We  have  in  the 
State  an  abundance  of  timber  of  the  very  best  for  such  pusposes. 
Cypress  for '  heads,  and  gum,  or  still  better,  magnolia  for  sides  would 
make  a  light,  durable  and  elegant  box.  Here  we  have  abundance  of 
this  kind  of  material,  indeed  thousands  of  sticks  of  the  two  latter  are 
annually  burned  to  get  them  out  of  the  way  of  the  planter;  and  yet  we 
have  to  send  more  than  a  thousand  miles  for  planking  to  make  a  box 
for  oranges.* 

Transportation  from  Florida  to  the  North  and  North-West  is  yet 
inadequate  and  the  lines  already  in  existence  are  badly  managed; 
many  of  the  officers  on  these  lines  have  not  done  their  duties  to  their 
employers  and  they  have  done  much  to  discourage  fruit  and  vege- 
table growing  in  Florida.  This  grave  charge  can  be  proven  by  a 
multitude  of  facts.  A  few  should  be  mentioned  to  show  something  of 

*Since  writing  the  above  Penniman  &  Co.,  of  Jacksonville,  have  put  up  the  machinery 
necessary  for  making  suitable  boxing. 


67 

their  general  character.  Some  crates  of  strawberries  to  be  packed  in 
ice  and  destined  for  New  York,  were  thrown  upon  deck  after  the 
manner  of  a  traveller's  trunk.  Remonstrance  was  made  by  the 
owner.  "Got  angel  in  dar?"  was  the  ready  reply  of  the  deck  hand, 
emphasizing  his  wit  with  an  additional  thump  of  the  crate.  The  cap- 
tain of  the  boat  laughed  at  the  wit  of  the  negro  and  left  him  to  repeat 
his  damage  and  wit  on  the  next  victim  who  should  take  the  pains  to 
grow  fruit  for  such  fun.  About  thirty-three  per  cent,  of  the  melons- 
which  are  shipped  from  the  St.  Johns  to  New  York  never  reach  their 
destination.  There  is  no  excuse  for  this.  The  watermelon,  well  cared 
for  and  handled,  will  easily  keep  from  six  to  ten  days.  A  cargo  of 
twenty  thousand  melons  shipped  from  Fernandina  to  New  York 
reached  the  latter  port  well  cooked.  Unfortunately  it  is  not  the 
fashion  to  eat  cooked  melons.  What  is  needed  for  East  Florida  is  a 
direct  line  of  steamers  from  Jacksonville  to  New  York.  Such  a  line 
would  not  only  pay  the  owners,  but  double  many  times  the  products 
of  Florida  in  a  single  year.  If  it  were  known  that  such  a  line  would 
be  established  early  next  Spring,  thousands  of  acres  would  be  plante 
in  strawberries,  blackberries,  cucumbers,  squashes,  tomatoes,  indeed  the 
whole  catalogue  of  garden  vegetables ;  while  during  the  Summer  such 
a  line  would  be  kept  busy  carrying  melons,  grapes,  figs,  pomegranates, 
guavas,  peaches,  &c.,  already  grown  and  wasted  for  want  of  transporta- 
tion. The  Winter  would  be  an  equally  busy  season  with  passengers, 
lemons  and  oranges.  The  boats  of  such  a  line  would  not  come  back 
empty  but  laden  with  such  goods  as  we  would  be  glad  to  get  in 
exchange  for  our  now  wasted  luxuries.  That  portion  of  the  Great 
Southern  Road  projected,  and  the  road  bed  already  far  advanced 
between  Jessup  and  Jacksonville,  should  be  completed  at  once  to  Jack- 
sonville. West  and  Middle  Florida  should  have  direct  communication 
with  the  North-west.  That  beautiful,  rich  and  attractive  country 
would  in  a  few  years  become  like  the  garden  of  the  Lord.  This  is  a 
seeming  digression  from  orange  culture,  but  it  is  pardonable,  for  while 
the  orange  is  not  so  perishable  as  some  other  things  needing  transpor- 
tation, the  increasing  production  is  such  as  will  demand  in  addition  to 
semi-weekly  lines  of  steamers  from  Fernandina  and  Jacksonville  to 
New  York,  a  daily  orange  train  from  Florida  to  the  North-west. 


68 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

CROPS  THAT  MAY  BE  GROWN  AMONG  THE  ORANGE  TREES. 

The  question  is  often  asked,  "  how  can  I  make  a  living  while  the 
orange  trees  are  coming  into  bearing?"  The  answer  is  "just  as  you 
would  make  a  living  if  you  were  doing  nothing  else  but  farming 
or  gardening,  or  growing  fruits  that  come  in  bearing  sooner  than  the 
orange."  If  you  are  a  city  clerk  and  know  nothing  about  hoeing,  and 
plowing  $nd  chopping,  you  would  find  it  rather  tough  for  the  first  year 
or  two,  to  make  your  bread  in  the  valley  of  the  Nile,  or  your  meat 
and  bread  in  the  blue-grass  region  of  Kentucky.  In  either  case  you 
would  have  to  deny  yourself,  for  a  year  or  two,  of  "luxuries"  dear  to 
you,  among  the  most  valued  of  these  otium  cum  dignatate.  You  would 
have  to  pull  off  your  coat  and  go  to  work.  You  would  have  to 
consult  the  natives  to  learn  practical  and  common  sense,  and  you  would 
be  surprised  at  the  profound  depth  of  your  ignorance  of  the  means  of 
making  the  bread  you  have  been  eating  all  your  life.  But  knowledge, 
even  this  humble  knowledge,  is  good  for  the  soul  and  the  man.  And 
you  can  learn,  and  even  learn  to  love  to  work.  The  sweet  sleep  and 
refreshing  rest  under  the  soothing  anodyne  of  labor  would  come  without 
the  learning.  After  awhile  would  come  the  noble  independence  of  a  free 
man.  Try  it,  young  man,  try  it!  Come  from  the  crowded  city  to  the 
country!  Come  South,  come  to  Florida!  You  will  regret  it  for  the 
first  year  or  two,  and  apply  hard  names  to  your  adviser,  think  him  and 
his  book  a  great  humbug;  but  if  you  have  the  virtue  of  continuance, 
you  will  after  awhile  bless  him  for  the  advice,  and  your  children  will 
bless  you  for  your  wisdom.  But  from  this  digression  to  the  subject  in 
hand. 

It  has  already  been  noticed  that  garden  crops  may  be  grown  among 
the  trees  profitably  to  the  laborer  and  the  trees.  Grapes  and  figs  can 
be  brought  into  bearing  within  three  years  from  the  cutting,  and 
peaches  in  three  years  from  the  seed.  Guavas  can  be  grown  under 
shade  of  trees  in  the  latitude  of  St.  Augustine,  and  abundantly  and 
profitably  further  South.  Plums  do  better  in  Florida  than  anywhere 
I  have  ever  seen  them  grow.  The  Japan  and  wild  goose  plum  will 


69 

bear  transportation  to  Northern  cities.  They  are  both  excellent  fruits 
and  bring  a  good  price.  Sweet  potatoes  can  be  grown  in  young  groves. 
But  as  they  require  deep  cultivation  and  to  be  planted  in  ridges,  the 
rows  should  not  run  too  near  the  orange  trees.  Sugar  cane  can  be 
planted  profitably,  but  should  never  be  planted  among  orange  trees. 
The  smaller  varieties  of  indian  corn  can  be  profitably  grown  among  the 
orange  trees,  both  for  bread  and  forage.  It  is  better  however  to  grow 
it  for  forage,  as  it  is  not  so  exhaustive  to  land  when  cut  in  a  green  state. 
Indeed  the  names  of  crops  that  may  be  grown  profitably,  if  the  land 
is  kept  rich,  is  legion;  as  our  climate  and  soil  will  grow  almost  every- 
thing that  can  be  grown  in  the  temperate  zone,  as  well  as  all  the  semi- 
tropical  plants.  Sheep  and  poultry  can  be  raised  with  great  profit  in 
Florida.  In  almost  every  neighborhood  sheep  will  find  an  excellent 
range  in  the  pine  forest.  They  should  be  penned  at  night  in  the  grove. 
For  this  purpose  a  movable  pen  of  light  boards  four  inches  wide,  the 
sections  of  twenty  and  sixteen  feet  in  length,  so  that  when  sections  are 
put  together,  they  will  be  self-supporting,  is  a  great  convenience.  The 
writer  has  one  such  which  requires  only  a  few  moments  to  move,  so 
that  stock  penned,  can  have  fresh  land  on  which  to  rest  every  night  or 
two.  It  is  a  good  way  to  fertilize  a  grove,  if  the  pen  is  not  allowed  to 
remain  too  long  in  one  place.  A  similar  arrangement  can  be  had  for 
poultry,  so  that  they  can  always  be  confined  at  the  right  spot.  If  too 
heavy  to  lift,  they  can  be  made  to  roll  on  wheels,  made  of  sections  of  a 
round  log. 


70 
CHAPTER  XIX. 

OILS,  PERFUMES,  EXTRACTS,  &C.  FROM  THE  CITRUS. 

The  subjects  mentioned  above  need  to  be  carefully  considered  by 
the  orange  growers  of  Florida.  In  Europe  the  manufacture  of  these 
products  of  the  citrus  is  about  equal  in  value  to  the  exported  fruit. 
Essential  oil  is  distilled  from  the  tender  shoots,  rinds  of  the  fruit  and 
leaves  of  the  trees.  The  most  delicate  perfumes  and  oils  are  obtained 
from  the  flowers,  especially  from  the  flower  of  the  wild  orange.  Mar- 
malade is  made  from  the  sour  fruit.  Citric  acid  and  concentrated 
lemon  juice  from  the  lemon,  while  the  citron  yields  that  most 
delicate  conserve,  bearing  the  same  name,  for  which  we  pay  high 
prices.  Many  of  these  delicate  and  truly  valuble  products  of  the 
orange  can  be  prepared  on  the  orange  plantation  at  comparatively 
little  cost.  It  would  be  better  if  some  enterprising  firm  would  locate 
at  Jacksonville  or  some  other  orange  center,  and  combine  in  one  estab- 
lishment all  these  interests.  There  would  be  no  difficulty  in  obtaining 
ample  material  for  a  large  establishment,  even  thus  early  in  our 
orange  growing.  These  materials— leaves,  tender  shoots,  flowers,  young 
fruit  dropped,  imperfect  fruit  and  sour  fruit  would  alone,  if  such  an 
establishment  were  erected,  pay  for  the  cultivation  of  the  grove  and 
leave  the  fruit  as  a  clear  gain. 

Such  a  business  could  be  a  source  of  vast  wealth  to  the  firm  which 
would  engage  in  it  with  sufficient  capital  and  skill.  These  articles 
manufactured  from  the  citrus  would  be  put  in  a  durable  form  and 
made  ready  for  exportation  to  any  part  of  the  world.  With  this 
profit  added  to  the  profit  arising  from  the  sale  of  the  fruit,  at  one  cent 
for  the  orange  and  a  half  a  cent  for  the  lemon,  the  citrus  crop  in 
Florida  alone  could,  in  a  score  of  years,  be  made  to  exceed  the  value 
of  the  entire  cotton  crop  grown  in  the  South.  Florida  certainly  has  a 
bright  future  before  her  if  her  sons  are  wise  enough  to  labor  for  that 
future.  In  her  broad  acres  there  is  ample  room,  not  only  for  her 
natural  and  adopted  sons,  but  for  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  their* 
fellow  citizens  to  whom  these  sons  of  Florida  extend  a  hearty  invita- 
tion to  come  and  occupy  with  them  these  broad  acres,  this  genial 
climate  and  this  vast  wealth,  enough  for  all,  and  quite  as  good  as  can 
be  found  this  side  of  Heaven. 


71 
CHAPTER   XX. 

CONCLUSION. 

To  those  who  are  thinking  of  engaging  in  this  important  branch  of 
industry,  I  would  say  a  few  words  in  concluding.  It  is  evident  that 
Florida  is  destined  to  take  the  lead  as  a  fruit-growing  State.  Land  is 
rapidly  increasing  in  value.  The  sooner  you  buy  the  better.  But  be- 
fore purchasing,  learn  all  you  can  of  the  different  portions  of  the  State. 
If  possible  travel  over  it  with  an  eye  to  finding  that  section  which  will 
best  suit  you,  so  that  after  locating,  you  will  never  be  made  to  regret 
your  first  choice.  Each  portion  has  its  advantages.  Middle  Florida 
has  fertile  soils,  and  with  its  rolling  lands,  is  perhaps,  the  most  beautiful 
section  of  the  State.  The  orange  has  received  too  little  attention  in 
Middle  Florida.  Those  who  have  made  the  attempt,  with  proper  care 
and  protection,  have  grown  fine  oranges  there. 

The  country  through  which  the  St.  Johns  River  flows,  having  at 
once  one  of  the  grandest  streams  in  America,  and  with  it  ample  facili- 
ties for  transportation,  has,  as  yet,  attracted  the  most  attention.  The 
eastern  shore  of  this  river,  especially,  is  admirably  adapted  to  the  cult- 
ure of  the  orange.  Being  protected  from  the  severe  north-westerly 
winds  by  this  wide  expanse  of  water,  it  is  as  little  liable  to  the  injuries 
of  frost  as  counties  one  hundred  miles  further  south.  The  counties  in 
the  lower  portion  of  the  State  have  generally  fine  lands,  and  grow  the 
orange  successfully. 

Having  settled,  plant  your  grove  of  one  or  more  acres;  let  the 
size  be  determined  by  your  means,  never  undertaking  more  than  you 
can  keep  in  the  highest  state  of  cultivation.  As  to  choosing  between 
the  budded  and  seedling  tree,  decide  as  you  wish  fruit  sooner  or  later. 
A  budded  grove  would  perhaps  best  suit  a  man  well  advanced  in  age. 
If,  however,  the  seedling  is  your  choice,  make  yourself  entirely  satisfied 
as  to  the  quality  of  the  orange  from  which  the  seed  were  taken,  and  also 
the  remoteness  of  the  original  tree  from  trees  bearing  fruit  of  poor 
quality.  Better  plant  the  seed  yourself  and  wait,  rather  than  have 
doubt  on  this  point.  Keep  the  land  rich  and  thoroughly  tilled.  The 
best  remedy  for  drouth,  is  to  have  the  plow  and  cultivator  or  sweep 


72 

continually  going.  It  is  a  great  mistake  to  plow  only  with  respect  to 
the  grass.  The  intervals  between  cultivating  should  not  be  so  great  as 
to  give  the  grass  an  opportunity  for  growing.  Where  the  ground  is 
frequently  stirred  there  will  be  fewer  insects,  their  eggs  wrhich  are  often 
deposited  in  the  earth  not  being  permitted  to  hatch.  Examine  your 
trees  often  and  closely.  If  insects  attack  them  treat  at  once.  Study 
your  soil,  note  what  it  is  deficient  in,  and  supply  the  deficiency. 

Your  grove  having  come  into  bearing  your  toil  is  over  and  your 
fortune  made.  You  can  now  have  the  pleasure  of  eating  this  most 
healthful  of  fruits  of  your  own  raising.  An  eminent  physician  has 
said  that  if  each  of  his  patients  would  cat  an  orange  in  the  morning 
before  breakfast,  his  practice  would  soon  be  gone.  If  France  is  sought 
by  the  invalid  for  the  grape  cure,  Florida  will  be  resorted  to  for  the 
orange  cure  as  well  as  for  its  unrivalled  climate. 

Do  not  be  afraid  of  glutting  the  market  with  the  orange;  it  can 
never  be  done.  There  are  thousands  of  persons  who  have  never  seen 
an  orange  and  many  more  who  have  to  pay  exhorbitant  prices  for 
them  where  they  are  rarely  seen.  If  there  is  a  supply  the  demand 
will  be  created.  When  Florida's  oranges  are  counted  by  the  hundred 
million,  she  will  have  adequate  means  for  transporting  them  to  the 
best  markets  and  to  all  markets,  without  a  doubt.  The  people  of  this 
country  know  very  little  about  eating  the  orange.  They  have  not  yet 
acquired  a  taste  for  this  queen  of  all  fruits. 

If  the  orange  growers  of  Europe  find  it  profitable  to  send  their 
indifferent  fruit  to  us,  after  having  to  pay  a  tariff,  (for  which  we 
are  indebted  to  General  Sanford  of  this  State),  how  much  better  can 
we  afford  to  sell  at  home,  even  for  the  same  price. 

The  above  named  gentleman,  after  his  tour  through  the  orange 
growing  portions  of  Europe,  states  that  they  claim  to  be  able  to  raise 
the  orange  profitably  when  getting  only  one  dollar  per  thousand ;  their 
average  price  now  being  about  three  dollars  per  thousand.  Is  there 
any  probability  of  the  luscious  Florida  orange  being  reduced  to  this 
price,  even  if  her  market  be  restricted  to  the  limits  of  America?  But 
the  day  is  not  far  distant  when  our  oranges  will  be  found  on  the  tables 
of  the  rich  in  Europe  in  preference  to  the  inferior  fruit  they  now  get 
there. 


The  orange  grower  should  not  be  contented  with  his  present 
knowledge.  This  is  a  progressive  age;  orange  culture  is  in  its  infancy. 
If  we  would  keep  well  posted  we  should  study  our  vocation  no  less 
diligently  than  others  do  theirs.  The  papers  of  the  State  have  done 
much  good  in  this  direction,  giving  the  successes  and  results  of  experi- 
ments of  different  nien.  Every  orange  grower  should  take  the  paper 
published  in  his  own  section;  these  papers  should  have  a  department 
devoted  specially  to  fruit  growers,  who  should  make  it  a  repository  for 
mutual  information. 

Finally,  to  be  successful,  the  fruit  grower  must  watch  and  work; 
but  not  always,  for  soon  golden  harvests  may  be  had  for  the  gathering. 


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